There's a lot to celebrate at Doors of Change.

The San Diego nonprofit was named the 2025 Nonprofit Leader Award winner by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, recognizing its work creating meaningful change in the lives of those it serves and throughout the San Diego region.

For San Diego Self Storage, the recognition is especially meaningful. Through our Community First efforts, we've had the opportunity to support Doors of Change for many years by providing complimentary storage space at Smart Self Storage of Solana Beach.

Seeing an organization we support reach milestones like these is exactly why investing in our local community matters.

More Than 3,000 Young People Helped Find Safe Housing

Since 2001, Doors of Change has worked with unhoused youth throughout San Diego County, providing immediate assistance and personalized support while helping young people build pathways toward housing, healing, and self-sufficiency.

Since its founding, the organization has served more than 23,000 young people and helped more than 3,000 unhoused youth find safe housing or shelter.

Through its Homeless Youth Advocacy Program, Doors of Change provides intensive case management that includes access to housing and shelter, mental health support, employment opportunities, transportation assistance, and other essential resources. Its case managers are available around the clock to help young people when they need support most.

That approach is making an impact. From 2024 to 2025, Doors of Change reported a 122% increase in permanent housing placements, growing from 27 placements to 60.

It Takes a Community

Helping young people move from homelessness toward long-term stability takes more than one organization.

Doors of Change works with a network of more than 116 service providers, connecting youth with specialized resources for housing, mental health, addiction recovery, domestic violence, employment, and other needs.

The organization also participates in community collaborations with the Lucky Duck Foundation, Conrad Prebys Foundation, Urban Street Angels, Youth Assistance Coalition and San Diego Foundation to expand the resources and opportunities available to young people throughout our region.

It's a powerful example of what can happen when nonprofits, local businesses, foundations, volunteers, and community organizations work toward a shared goal.

Recognized as a Nonprofit Leader

In 2025, that work earned Doors of Change the Nonprofit Leader Award from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The recognition celebrates the organization's impact throughout the San Diego region and adds to a growing list of community recognition for its work.

Doors of Change has also been recognized by GreatNonprofits, where donors, volunteers, and members of the community can learn more about nonprofit organizations and the people they serve.

Providing Space for a Bigger Mission

Community partnerships can take many forms.

For San Diego Self Storage, one way we're able to help is by providing complimentary storage space to Doors of Change at Smart Self Storage of Solana Beach. That space helps the organization store supplies and resources used to support its work throughout San Diego County.

Providing space may be what we do as a business, but in this case, that space helps support something much bigger.

Congratulations, Doors of Change!

We're proud to congratulate the entire Doors of Change team on this well-deserved recognition and, even more importantly, on the thousands of young people they've supported throughout San Diego County.

Their impact is best understood through the people behind those numbers. We encourage our community to read the stories of young people Doors of Change has supported, learn more about their programs and services, or see how you can donate, volunteer, attend an event, or get involved.

You can also keep up with upcoming Doors of Change community events and news and media featuring their work.

We're honored to play a small role in supporting their mission and look forward to seeing the doors they continue to open for San Diego's youth.