In early 2020, Founder/ CEO and small business owner, DeMilo Young reached out to friends and colleagues to find solutions for small BIPOC business owners who faced inequities during the pandemic. Young with other volunteers worked diligently to raise funds for businesses that were disproportionately shut out of funding. Data showed that Congress' major COVID relief bill was not evenly distributed amongst non BIPOC- owned businesses. In June 2020, BSF funded its first emergency grant to BIPOC-owned business, A Chef's Agent.‍‍‍

‍In late 2020, BSF took on the meaning of our title by expanding beyond solely BIPOC business support and into the field of education. In December 2020, BSF officially became a nonprofit organization. Under the direction of educator Cassiopeia Guthrie,  we hosted our first quarterly BEF Book Club event for educators in February 2021, along with providing mandatory racial bias and privilege training for our volunteers.

‍‍Approximately three hundred educators from throughout Southern California and beyond attended the event. Surveys showed that they left inspired, confident, and empowered to use their new resources and tools to not only begin implementing diverse texts within their classrooms, but also to engage in brave and important conversations surrounding unconscious bias with their students, peers, and communities as well.​‍

‍In July and August, over 500 disadvantaged youth received backpacks filled with school supplies, reading books and community gifts through BSF's Backpack drive.​‍In July 2021, Explore Next Door Youth Enrichment Program was launched.‍

‍Over our 3 years of operation, BSF has had a tangible impact on the lives of over 1,350 students, families, and businesses throughout San Diego. Since our inception in 2020, BSF has supported 15 BIPOC-led businesses in San Diego through direct financial, business development, and marketing support. These business owners report that our support has helped them stay afloat and improve their business capacity during the pandemic. ‍Today, BSF continues to serve small businesses, youth and families.​