1993 - While associate pastor at a suburban church in Southern California, Larry Acosta encounters a reality that changes his work forever.  Larry sees the Latino community losing thousands of inner city Hispanic youth to the streets every year because of a void in the quality and quantity of Hispanic youth leaders.  He launches the Hispanic Ministry Center (HMC) & KidWorks, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, in response to the critical needs facing young people and their families in the urban Hispanic neighborhoods of Santa Ana, California, and beyond.

1994 - Initially targeting three specific areas in Orange County, KidWorks operate summer programs in neighborhoods characterized by neglect, abuse, drugs, violence, gangs, and a lack of positive models among other issues.  By creating Learning Centers in small apartments, the staff is able to provide a safe place within the community for children and youth to learn, be affirmed, and encouraged.

1996 - KidWorks opens the Los Puentes Learning Center on Townsend Street in Central Santa Ana in addition to the already existing centers across Orange County.

David Benavides moves into the Townsend Street neighborhood and joins the KidWorks team initially as an intern and shortly thereafter takes the lead as Director. 

1999 – KidWorks opens the Myrtle Street Learning Center for after-school tutoring and programming. After having had a presence in several neighborhoods of Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Orange, the decision is made to develop a more comprehensive community development model and focus the efforts of KidWorks in a specific area of Central Santa Ana; the Townsend and Myrtle Street neighborhoods.The programs operate out of small apartment-based Learning Centers similar to the structure that was in place before.  However, the organization and staff now set their sight on restoring the community of Central Santa Ana.

Ava Steaffens, an immigration attorney for 18 years decides to leave her practice to join the staff of KidWorks as an office manager.  Although it was a large shift for her she felt that the Lord was calling her to KidWorks.

2000 - Teen Leadership Academy, which is a program for teenagers from the neighborhood, launches in the summer.  TLA provides opportunities for youth in the community to participate in leadership development training, vocational counseling, spiritual formation, and character building.  In addition, the program is directed by four college interns that move into the neighborhood and dedicate their summer to these families for six weeks.  The interns build friendships with the youth and children in the community, becoming role models and mentors throughout the summer.

2001 – KidWorks sees the need for a preschool class because kindergarteners seem to lack self-confidence and assurance in their abilities at a young age.  As a result, the Early Bird Preschool Class at the Myrtle Street Learning Center is implemented where children ages 4-5 learn the alphabet, sounds, shapes, colors, numbers, phonics, socialization skills, and self-confidence.

2002 – KidWorks spins off from HMC and officially incorporates as El Puente Community Development Corporation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.  David Benavides becomes Board Chairman and Ava Steaffens is named President/CEO.  With a focus on holistic services for the community.  KidWorks looks toward the future with a mission of  “restoring at-risk neighborhoods, one life at a time.”

On December 31st, 2002, KidWorks loses a dear friend who continues to leave a lasting impression on all of our lives.  From the day Dan Donahue first came to visit the learning centers, he made it his personal goal to support the work KidWorks was doing to help inner-city youth dream bigger dreams than the “barrio.”  He always worked tirelessly raising funds to support the learning centers, computer labs, preschool program, and other community development efforts.  Dan’s heart would always resonate with what KidWorks was doing because he had a vision, and he was determined to see it become a reality.

2003 – On September 13th, a tribute to Dan Donahue was hosted by Dan’s close friends: Tom Schriber, Ranney Draper, Brian Lawrence, and Jim Watson at the Balboa Bay Club.  A capacity crowd of 475 friends, family members, and colleagues attended the luau, which raised about $1 million for KidWorks.

2004 – In July, KidWorks purchases a 10,000 sq. ft. building in Central Santa Ana that will be completely renovated to become the Dan Donahue Center.  Located in the midst of the Central Santa Ana Community, the new center will house a licensed preschool, an expanded tutoring center, a library and resource center, two computer labs, a recreation room, a snack bar area, health care rooms, and the KidWorks administrative offices.

In September, KidWorks implements the YouthWorks program which is designed to provide mentoring, vocational counseling, college and job preparedness, and tutoring for Jr. High and High School students.  The program serves as a compliment to Teen Leadership Academy by providing opportunities throughout the whole year for teenagers to receive intentional and personal counseling.

2005 – In September, KidWorks relocates to the Dan Donahue Center, and programs begin on October 31st.  KidWorks is now able to serve over 200 children per day and over 500 per year.

2006 - KidWorks has partnered with Careways Children's Foundation, a non-profit group of pediatricians, to provide basic health services and health education to the residents of the community under the name "CareWorks."

KidWorks plans to launch AdultWorks - a program to provide educational and employment opportunities to adults in the community, and to form a group of parent leaders to be advocates for their community.  AdultWorks will also teach parents to be advocates for their children through a partnership with the Latino Educational Attainment initiative.