Access Inc. provides job training, entrepreneurship assistance, and assistance with filing immigration-related paperwork primarily to youth and low-income people. The organization was founded in the wake of then-President Lyndon Johnson’s call for a “war on poverty.” The organization also played a role in the resettlement of refugees from Southeast Asia during and after the Vietnam War. ¹

On its website, the organization promotes the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) rhetoric that is tied to critical race theory. ² However, on its website Access Inc. does not directly promote its immigration services, instead promoting them through third-party directories. ³

Overview

Access Inc. is a San Diego, California based nonprofit that provides numerous services to low-income youth, immigrants, and other at-risk populations. The organization primarily provides job training, job placement assistance, entrepreneurship training and support, and helps immigrants access public services and file the paperwork related to gaining legal status. ⁴

The organization was founded in 1967 as a result of then-President Lyndon Johnson’s call for a “war on poverty.” In addition to working to address the needs of low-income residents in the San Diego area, the organization helped to resettle refugees from Southeast Asia in the wake of the Vietnam War. ⁵

The organization’s full name is Area-wide Service Centers for Education and Social Service. It was co-founded by the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. The initial offerings included Head Start, youth development, job training, and employment services. When the “war on poverty” programs ended, Access Inc. became a separate organization from the Catholic Diocese of San Diego. ⁶

The primary work of the organization is job training for persons aged 16-24 who have dropped out of school. It works to provide them industry certifications, job training, and other ways to reintegrate them into the workforce, focusing on industries such as advanced manufacturing, environmentalist energy, and health care. ⁷

Access Inc. also provides entrepreneurship training and support. The organization partners with University of San Diego MBA students to provide services and training such as bookkeeping, business plans, and marketing. ⁸

The organization also assists illegal immigrants to qualify for amnesty programs such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), helps immigrants file for adjustment of status, and assists with the naturalization process. ⁹

In the wake of unrest associated with Black Lives Matter in the summer of 2020, Access Inc. published a statement reiterating its acceptance of far-left critical race theory that sees racism as structural and systemic. ¹⁰

Leadership

Kristie Buckley is the president and CEO of Access Inc. since 2018. Before then, she had worked with the organization for 22 years, beginning as a case worker after graduating college. ¹¹

Finances

According to its 2019 tax return, Access Inc. had $3,300,667 in revenue and expenses of $3,146,635. It also had assets of $555,276. ¹²

The organization spent $2,280,162 on youth employment and job training assistance. It spent $300,367 on immigrant assistance. ¹³

According to the organization’s website, it receives the bulk of its funding from the federal government, county government, and local government. It also receives support from several banks, such as City National Bank, Pacific Western Bank, and UnionBank. ¹⁴

1. “Access Inc.” Live Well San Diego. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.livewellsd.org/content/livewell/home/all-articles/partners/partner-home/Access-inc.html.
2. We Are Here.” Access Inc. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.access2jobs.org/post/we-are-here.
3. [1] “Legal Directory.” Immigration Advocates Network. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/organization.392667-Access_Inc_Immigration_Services
4. “Access Inc.” Live Well San Diego. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.livewellsd.org/content/livewell/home/all-articles/partners/partner-home/Access-inc.html.
5. “Access Inc.” Live Well San Diego. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.livewellsd.org/content/livewell/home/all-articles/partners/partner-home/Access-inc.html.
6. “History.” Access Inc. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.access2jobs.org/history.
7. Access Inc.” Live Well San Diego. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.livewellsd.org/content/livewell/home/all-articles/partners/partner-home/Access-inc.html.
8. “USD MBA Students Partner With Microentrepreneurs And Support Over 90 Local Businesses.” University Of San Diego. February 4, 2021. https://www.sandiego.edu/spotlights/detail.php?_focus=79977.
9. “Legal Directory.” Immigration Advocates Network. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/organization.392667-Access_Inc_Immigration_Services.
10. “We Are Here.” Access, Inc. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.access2jobs.org/post/we-are-here.
11. “A Few Minutes With Kristie Buckley.” LISC San Diego. November 1, 2018. https://www.lisc.org/san-diego/regional-stories/few-minutes-kristie-buckley/.
12. Access Inc., Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2019.
13. Access Inc., Return of an Organization Exempt From Income Tax (Form 990), 2019.
14. “Partners.” Access Inc. Accessed January 24, 2022. https://www.access2jobs.org/partnerships.