When Switchfoot takes the stage, San Diego listens. And when the Grammy Award–winning rock band gives back to their hometown, locals follow suit.
For two decades, Switchfoot has channeled their love for music, art, and surfing into support for homeless, at-risk, and underserved youth in San Diego County. Through their nonprofit, the Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation, and its signature fundraising events, the Beach Fest and Benefit Party, the group has raised more than $3 million for organizations that serve local youth, including Boys To Men Mentoring, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, the Monarch School, Safe Kids San Diego, and To Write Love on Her Arms.
“If you go and see the work these organizations are doing, these kids are giving back 10 times as much with their smiles, their appreciation, and attitudes. That’s a gift you can never outgive,” says Switchfoot bassist Tim Foreman.
One of the foundation’s most impactful partnerships is with Rady Children’s Hospital. Earlier this year, Switchfoot and the hospital teamed up to bring the healing power of music to patients while working toward launching a certified music therapy program in the future. Soothing melodies can help ease kids’ worry, alleviate pain, and promote healing, and research suggests that live music may be more beneficial than pre-recorded arrangements. On the first Monday of every month, a different local artist performs an interactive acoustic session in the hospital’s lobby. Naturally, Switchfoot was the first.
“Having Music Mondays in the lobby is a motivator for our kids to get up and out of their beds and come down and see—that’s something that we’ve found very impactful,” says Sara McPhilmy, director of philanthropy and corporate and community development for the Rady Children’s Hospital Foundation. “The music, of course, can have healing properties, but the activation itself and the encouragement to go see something special has been very meaningful for our families.”
The Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation also has a long-standing relationship with Feeding San Diego and often chooses the nonprofit as one of the beneficiaries of its summer events. The Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation committed to funding a school pantry at Libby Elementary School in Oceanside for three years. Feeding San Diego’s school pantry program turns local schools into distribution hubs for fresh produce and pantry staples so families can have access to healthy food at no cost, no questions asked.
“[Switchfoot’s members] have always wanted to be able to make a direct local impact, and there are organizations that are doing that so well already here,” says Chris Frederick, foundation and partnerships director for the Switchfoot Bro-Am Foundation. “We choose these organizations because of the impact that they’re making in the community and because [they align] with the missions and the values of creating hope, belonging, and community.”
At the annual Bro-Am Beach Fest fundraising concert, Switchfoot invites kids from the organizations they support up on stage to sing with the band.
“The day of the Bro-Am itself, thousands of people come together in a shared intention of kindness, compassion, and community, and the kids are the VIPs for the day and get to have a one-of-a-kind, unique experience,” Frederick adds.
Twenty years ago, on a flight home from Australia during their first world tour, the members of Switchfoot made a commitment to give back and share the passions—music, art, surfing, and the outdoors—that had given them purpose when they were younger. In the years since, they have touched countless young lives and sent a ripple of generosity through the beach community. And they don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.
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“It’s very personal for the guys. It’s one of those things that keeps them grounded and inspired. It
helps keep them tethered to their community, and it’s a way of saying thank you and investing in the future, helping kids thrive,” Frederick says. “The guys have always wanted music to mean something more than just songs on a stage, and the Bro-Am is their opportunity to do that.”
