Our work began with a simple question:
More than a decade later, that question has evolved into a proven system connecting schools, families, program providers, funders, and community partners through one coordinated model.
DWUL is not simply delivering more programs. We are building the system that makes affordable, meaningful afterschool access possible at scale.
Do What U Luv Foundation helps children and youth access safe, affordable, and meaningful afterschool opportunities.
We work with schools, school districts, families, program providers, funders, and community organizations to reduce the barriers that prevent children from participating in enrichment programs after school.
Our work supports programs in areas such as arts, dance, music, sports, martial arts, STEM, coding, robotics, chess, wellness, social-emotional learning, leadership, and life skills.
We believe afterschool programs are more than activities. They are opportunities for belonging, mentorship, creativity, confidence, early prevention, and community connection.
Founder Tong Guan grew up understanding how important accessible creative and supportive afterschool environments can be for young people navigating identity, belonging, and risk.
Raised by a single mother, Tong moved many times throughout childhood and saw firsthand how the lack of safe, affordable, and meaningful afterschool opportunities could leave young people disconnected and vulnerable.
Many children and youth simply need somewhere positive to go, something meaningful to do, and caring adults or mentors who help them see what is possible.
For Tong, art became that outlet. It created confidence, direction, and a sense of possibility.
But not every child has access to that kind of opportunity.
That experience became the foundation for DWUL’s work: building a system so more children and youth can access positive environments, mentors, creativity, skill-building, and belonging during the hours when they need it most.
DWUL started in 2014 by helping bring arts, dance, martial arts, music, yoga, and other afterschool programs into schools.
At first, the focus was simple: create more affordable afterschool options for children and families.
But over time, we saw that the deeper problem was not only program availability.
The real problem was system capacity.
Schools wanted more programs, but often lacked the time, staffing, systems, and administrative support to coordinate them. Families wanted access, but faced cost, transportation, information, and registration barriers. Providers wanted to serve school communities, but often lacked clear pathways into schools. Funders wanted impact, but needed a scalable and accountable model.
DWUL evolved in response to these real-world challenges.
Today, DWUL combines platform technology, school coordination, provider onboarding, registration support, subsidy pathways, communication tools, and reporting into one coordinated system.
The DWUL system brings together four connected layers:
DWUL.io supports program listings, registration, payments, communication, data tracking, and reporting.
DWUL helps coordinate schedules, providers, school communication, logistics, registration setup, and family support.
DWUL works with local instructors, nonprofits, businesses, and community organizations to help deliver meaningful programs in school communities.
DWUL supports students and families facing barriers through promo codes, referral pathways, pay-what-you-can access, and funding partnerships.
Together, these layers create a scalable model for afterschool access.
Instead of every school, provider, or community starting from scratch, DWUL provides shared infrastructure that helps more programs happen with less duplication and lower administrative burden.
DWUL’s work includes both a school-facing service model and a technology platform.
Afterschool Guide is DWUL’s school-facing coordination model. It supports schools and districts with program planning, provider coordination, school communication, registration support, subsidy access, and reporting.
DWUL.io is the technology platform that supports program listings, registration, payments, communication, and program management for families, providers, schools, and partners.
Do What U Luv Foundation leads the charitable mission, access strategy, partnerships, subsidy support, and long-term system-building work.
Together, these components create a practical infrastructure model for affordable, accessible, and scalable afterschool programming.
DWUL’s model is designed to support all families while ensuring dedicated support is available for those facing financial or social barriers.
We believe afterschool access should not only be available to a small number of targeted schools or families. Children in every school community can benefit from meaningful afterschool opportunities.
At the same time, equity must be built into the system
That is why DWUL works with schools, district partners, youth workers, funders, and community partners to help identify students who may need additional support and connect them to programs through confidential subsidy and promo-code pathways.
This allows students to participate alongside their peers without stigma, separation, or unnecessary barriers.
Programs should be good for all, accessible to many, and supported for those who need help most.
Over more than a decade of real-world implementation, DWUL learned that afterschool access cannot be solved by programs alone.
We learned that schools need the right systems and policies to make programs easier to coordinate.
We learned that families need one simple place to find opportunities, register, and get help.
We learned that providers need support with promotion, registration, communication, scheduling, and school access.
We learned that funders need measurable impact and scalable models, not only one-time program delivery.
We learned that free programs alone are not always sustainable, and that stigma can prevent children from participating when support is not handled carefully.
We learned that school spaces, local providers, parent groups, youth workers, technology, and funding partners all need to be connected through a shared system.
Most importantly, we learned that the solution has to work for everyone involved: students, families, schools, providers, funders, and communities.
That is what DWUL has been building.
The hours after school are a critical time for children and youth.
High-quality afterschool programs provide safe, structured, and engaging environments where students can explore interests, build confidence, develop skills, connect with mentors, and feel a stronger sense of belonging.
These programs can support creativity, physical activity, social-emotional growth, leadership, mental wellness, and positive relationships.
For families, in-school and community-connected programs reduce transportation barriers and make participation more convenient and affordable.
For schools, coordinated afterschool programs help strengthen school community connection without requiring each school to manage the full administrative workload alone.
For communities, afterschool programs support local providers, create employment opportunities, and build stronger ecosystems around children and youth.
Afterschool access is not a luxury. It is part of the community infrastructure children and families need.
To make afterschool learning and enrichment programs accessible, affordable, and inclusive for children and youth, regardless of background or financial circumstance.
A future where every child can explore their interests, develop life skills, build confidence, and grow through meaningful afterschool and community-based opportunities.
Every child deserves meaningful opportunities, regardless of financial circumstance.
Children and youth thrive when they feel connected to their school, peers, mentors, and community.
Technology should reduce barriers, simplify systems, and make support easier to access.
Schools, families, providers, funders, and local organizations all have a role in supporting future generations.
Students facing barriers should be supported in ways that are confidential, respectful, and inclusive.
Lasting impact requires shared infrastructure, not only isolated programs.
DWUL has built and validated a scalable model for afterschool access.
The next chapter is expansion.
We are working to bring this system to more schools, support more families, strengthen provider partnerships, improve platform technology, and build sustainable funding pathways for long-term impact.
We are seeking partners who believe every child should have access to safe, affordable, and meaningful afterschool opportunities.
Together, we can expand the system that makes access possible.
Whether you are a funder, school district, program provider, community organization, corporate partner, or local leader, we welcome conversations with partners who want to help scale afterschool access.