Founded in 2001, in Pittsburg California, PWC began with an emphasis on mentorship and job-training. Founder, Veronica Pope, recognized that her community needed a safe alternative for young people experiencing growing failure, truancy, suspension, and drop-out rates. Aiming to interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline, she partnered with local businesses and schools to open a community carwash program. The Hip Hop Carwash (HHCW) gave adolescents real-world experience operating a “business” and a weekend safe-haven. Student referrals from Pittsburg Unified Schools, local law enforcement, and the juvenile probation department increased with the program’s notoriety.