Backcountry Communities Thriving

The mission of Backcountry Communities Thriving is to ensure the well-being of each child, family and individual in Julian and surrounding rural areas through advocacy, service and support to foster a thriving community. 

Backcountry Communities Thriving (BCT) is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Julian, California. Julian is a small, rural, remote town, in the mountains of north east San Diego County. Our geographic service area encompasses more than 600 square miles of mountains and deserts. Included in this area are the Santa Ysabel and Mesa Grande Reservations. It also includes desert neighborhoods such as Shelter Valley and the Butterfield Community, which is an area for the homeless and disadvantaged. The demographics of Julian and the backcountry are diverse and include migrant farm workers and geographically isolated families, low income residents as well as a significant number of senior citizens. Due to the combination of poverty, rural isolation and the lack of public transportation, it is extremely difficult for many backcountry residents to obtain appropriate human services. 

In the past two years since BCT was founded, our programs have exploded! BCT is quickly becoming the "go to" organization for the backcountry. Some of our accomplishments include hosting a Scholarship Fair and a College & Career Day for the Julian High School students. BCT has established a bimonthly food distribution at the Butterfield Ranch Community through Feeding San Diego. We recently began a partnership with the San Diego Food Bank which will allow us to purchase food for Butterfield residents and high school students to supplement the current food distributions. When a local high school graduate tragically lost her remaining parent in a car accident on her graduation day, BCT successfully assisted in fundraising for the last $11,000 she needed for her first year of college. Plus, BCT has made a commitment to this young woman to continue to support her college education. BCT also advocated for the Butterfield Ranch Community residents as they endured an 8 month boil water order.

Residents in the backcountry are all too familiar with natural disasters. BCT partners with the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Central Division and manage the Julian Fire Safe Council. Encouraging the community to be prepared for a disaster and be able to assist their neighbors is just one way to demonstrate a thriving community.

Donate to Backcountry Communities Thriving today! Your generous support will allow us to continue the work that we do in Julian and the backcountry. Julian is more than apple pies and snow. We're a tight knit community made up of wonderful people striving to help each other in times of need. You can rest assured that your donation will be greatly appreciated for many generations to come! Thank you!!

Visit our website for additional information about our organization and the work that we do. Be sure to check out our monthly newsletter too!