Common Ground

Common Ground is a Christian nonprofit serving middle and high school students in Oak View Huntington Beach through trusted relationships, daily presence, and programs that help students belong, grow and find direction.

Common Ground began in 2013 as a surf camp for young people in the Oak View community of Huntington Beach. Over the past 13 years, we have grown into a year-round ministry offering after-school programs, Bible studies, camps, retreats, and other opportunities for middle and high school students. We now have a permanent home in the heart of the community where students can gather, grow, and belong.

We believe true restoration is found through a relationship with Jesus Christ. We live out this belief by building trusted relationships among Oak View students and families, our volunteers, and local churches throughout Huntington Beach.

We spend as much time as possible with the young people we serve. This often looks like kicking a soccer ball, skateboarding, surfing, painting, cooking, playing music, or simply finding something we have in common. Through these shared experiences, strong and trustworthy relationships develop between our leaders, students, and their families.

Many of the young people we serve have limited access to experiences that others may take for granted. We provide opportunities for them to participate in camping trips, surf trips, sports camps, and other meaningful adventures. Through these experiences, students are encouraged to try new things, grow in confidence, build lasting relationships, and see the Gospel lived out in their midst.

Common Ground provides year-round programs for young people in Oak View through after-school clubs, Bible studies, camps, retreats, and special events. In 2025, we recorded 2,905 student check-ins across 196 programs and events. Approximately 40 students regularly participated in Bible studies, while our summer surf camp and winter retreat served about 80 young people. We also provided thousands of meals and snacks throughout the year.

Our greatest impact is found in the trusted relationships we have built with students and families. Our experienced staff and volunteers have served in Oak View for more than a decade, providing consistent mentorship and creating a safe, Christ-centered community where young people are known, supported, and encouraged.

Common Ground also builds bridges between Oak View and the broader Huntington Beach community, particularly through partnerships with local churches. These partnerships introduce volunteers to families and experiences they might not otherwise encounter, creating meaningful relationships across different backgrounds and bringing the Gospel to life through service, mentorship, and community.

Last year, our greatest need was securing a permanent home in the Oak View community. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, Common Ground now has that home and has received final approval to operate our after-school programs there. Our current need is funding to furnish, equip, and prepare the space for students while increasing our monthly support to sustain the programs, meals, mentorship, and activities that will take place there. This new home will allow us to serve more students, reach additional age groups, and create even more opportunities for young people to experience community and discover their God-given potential.

The primary population served by Common Ground are children in the Oakview community - middle school and high school students. By every measure of social value – income levels, housing conditions, health, safety, and education – this community is not equal with the rest of the city.

Secondary populations served include parents and families in the community. By giving children an opportunity to go to camp and experience activities in the broader Huntington Beach community, parents are able to access these opportunities for their children. Parents also value the mentoring relationships their children experience.

The church community in Huntington Beach is served by creating connection points or their members to serve. Our various clubs and camps provide open doors for volunteers from around the city to get involved.

At Common Ground, we believe every young person deserves to be known, loved, and given the opportunity to thrive. We are a faith-based organization serving the Oak View community of Huntington Beach, where many young people face barriers that limit their access to mentorship, extracurricular activities, and experiences that other youth in Orange County may take for granted.

Before we can help a student with tutoring, career preparation, or a job application, we must first earn their trust. That is why relationships are at the heart of everything we do. Whether we are surfing, playing soccer, cooking, studying the Bible, or simply spending time together, each interaction is an opportunity to remind a young person that they matter. Through consistent mentorship and the love of Jesus, we help students build confidence, make healthy decisions, and discover their God-given potential.

After years of serving throughout the community, Common Ground now has a permanent home in Oak View where students can gather, grow, and belong. This new space gives us an incredible opportunity to deepen our relationships with families and welcome even more young people into a safe, Christ-centered community.

None of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers, donors, churches, and community partners. I invite you to join us as we continue building community, providing mentorship, creating new opportunities, and showing the young people of Oak View that they are known and loved.

—Jake Piering
Executive Director, Common Ground

Our family has been active participants and donors for a variety of charitable organizations over the last several decades. These efforts have usually been focused on helping youth…especially those striving to overcome financial disadvantages.
I served as the initial Orange County Campaign Chairman for UCSB (my alma mater) for 8 years…helping raise awareness to the University’s needs. During the last 15 years we personally sponsored fellowships for underprivileged graduate students. I also served on the Orangewood Children’s Foundation Investment Committee for 13 years. During this time our family were initial sponsors of the Samueli Academy and the Lighthouse project for trafficked women. In fact we personally purchased a laser for the purpose of removing tattoo’s for these unfortunate ladies.

I was first introduced to Common Ground by two long time friends…Whitney Schey and Jeff Peters….both of whom have huge hearts for God and serving their community. After several years of being a donor… I was asked by Andrew Schey, lead pastor of Branches Church in Huntington Beach, to join the Board in order to introduce some “corporate structure” and to assist in identifying a permanent home for our program. In my 3 years on the Board we have successfully transitioned from a “volunteer only” Board to a group that includes representatives from Churches, the community, and volunteers. We hope to add a representative from the City in the near future. We view all these groups as “partners” who deserve a voice in our effort to assist the youth and community in Oakview.

I see Common Ground as a unique organization that combines our passion for helping youth that might otherwise be forgotten by society…and they are in our backyard! Where else can you witness the impact of your time and treasure…daily changing lives for the better!!