About Highlanders Boxing Club
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth-development organization building champions in life since 2004.
Our Mission
About Us & Our Mission
Highlanders Boxing Club (HBC) began in Highland, California, as a small boxing gym that quickly became a safe haven — a place where young people came not only to train, but to belong.
As the program grew, community members stepped in to volunteer, bringing powerful lived experience and stories of transformation. From this foundation emerged HBC's credible-mentor model — trusted adults who guide, connect with, and inspire youth through shared experience. This mentorship approach became HBC's flagship program for many years.
Over time, HBC expanded to serve youth referred by probation, schools, and law enforcement. Through consistent mentorship, structure, and connection, meaningful change became evident — especially among youth impacted by systemic disadvantage, gang involvement, trauma, and substance use. Before long, HBC had provided services to more than 5,000 youth and their families.
Recognizing that young people needed deeper, more comprehensive whole-person support, HBC evolved into HBC IRON — a youth development organization that brings together multiple programs rooted in developmental neuroscience, trauma-responsive care, relational interventions, and opportunities that move youth toward stability and success.
HBC IRON is guided by the IRON Model of Care, built on four pillars:
- Insight
- Helping youth understand emotions, behaviors, identity, and the impact of trauma.
- Resilience
- Strengthening coping skills, confidence, discipline, and emotional regulation.
- Opportunity
- Expanding access to education, employment, leadership, and purpose.
- Navigation
- Supporting youth as they move through complex systems and transition toward adulthood.
Across all programs, our mission remains clear: to support youth healing, growth, and long-term success — so every young person has the relationships, skills, and opportunities they need to thrive.
Since 2004
Our Story
In 2004, we opened the doors of Highlanders Boxing Club at 26127 6th Street in Highland, California. What started as a small boxing gym quickly became something much bigger — a refuge for young people in a community where positive options were scarce.
Highland and the surrounding Inland Empire face persistent challenges: poverty, gang activity, substance abuse, and a lack of youth services. We saw boxing as a way to reach kids who had been written off — to give them structure, discipline, and adults who genuinely cared about their futures.
Over the next 25 years, HBC grew from a handful of youth to a full-scale nonprofit serving over 7,000 young people and families. Programs expanded into trauma-informed intervention (Iron Strong), nature-based education (Tabernacle Ranch), community drives that have served thousands of families, and partnerships with San Bernardino County Probation, mental health agencies, and local schools.
Today, HBC remains rooted in the same conviction that opened its doors: that a strong body makes the mind strong, and that every young person — regardless of background — can become a champion in life.
Founder
Tony Collins Cifuentes
Tony Collins Cifuentes founded Highlanders Boxing Club in 2004 with a vision that went far beyond the sport. Growing up in the Inland Empire, he understood firsthand the challenges facing at-risk youth — and the transformative power of having someone in your corner.
Under Tony's leadership, HBC has grown from a local gym into a nationally recognized youth-development organization. He developed the Iron Strong program, a structured intervention combining Positive Youth Development research with trauma-informed care, now used as a referral pathway by San Bernardino County Probation.
Tony's philosophy is simple: "A strong body makes the mind strong." He believes that the discipline, respect, and resilience learned through our programs translate directly into the skills young people need to succeed in school, relationships, and life.
The Memoir
There Are No Losses, Only Lessons
One Man's Inspirational Journey from Violence to Faith
Tony Collins Cifuentes' memoir traces the path from the streets that shaped him to the gym he built — and the conviction that pulled him through every round of his life. It's the story behind Highlanders Boxing Club, told by the man who started it.
Every copy sold supports HBC's youth programs.
The Team
Leadership & Coaches
The mentors, coaches, and leaders who make HBC's mission possible every day.
Tony Collins Cifuentes
Founder, Author & Intervention Specialist
Founded HBC in 2004. Author of "There Are No Losses, Only Lessons." Educator and intervention specialist with 25+ years developing at-risk youth through boxing, mentorship, and trauma-informed care.
Transparency
501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
HBC is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your support is tax-deductible and goes directly to serving youth and families in the Inland Empire.
Tax-Exempt Status
IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) organization. EIN available upon request.
Financial Accountability
Annual 990 filings available for public review. Committed to transparent stewardship.
Community Trust
25+ years of continuous service. Trusted by families, schools, and San Bernardino County.
Join Our Mission
Whether you want to volunteer, donate, or partner with us — there's a place for you at HBC.