Photo via everychildfoundation.org

Everychild Foundation project at HOLA to break ground

More than 2,300 at-risk youth will have an enriching safe haven, inspiring learning spaces and a wireless technology center at L.A. Recreation and Park's Lafayette Community Center in the heart of the Rampart District, thanks to a $1 Million dollar grant provided to Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) by the Everychild Foundation, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

Five years ago, Heart of Los Angeles was forced to find a new home after being in their original home for 13 years. It had only eight months to find a home for over 1,100 at-risk youth. HOLA mounted an aggressive effort to secure private funding to sustain critical programs provided at the youth center.

A media release say that since the move to its current facility, HOLA has been looking to find an established community service partner to expand its reach to serve the more than 2,300 children in the neighborhood who struggle to find critical youth development programs and safe places to learn and play outside of school.

Heart of Los Angeles is pleased to report that it has found the perfect partner in L.A. City Recreation and Parks and the Everychild Foundation. The Everychild grant will enable HOLA to expand its programming to accommodate an ever increasing number of youth.

The Everychild Foundation says that its project at HOLA (Heart of Los Angeles Youth) will break ground next Monday, March 24th at 12:30 p.m. at 625 South Lafayette Park Place, Los Angeles, CA. 90057 with a special ceremony hosted by the City of Los Angeles.

Started in Los Angeles in 1989 with just five kids and a basketball, Heart of Los Angeles has grown into a multi-cultural center that offers fine arts, athletic and education programs for more than 1,300 underserved youth annually throughout the city. HOLA provides elementary, middle and high school programming for a growing population of children who are in urgent need of supplemental services. Heart of Los Angeles Youth is proud to serve at-risk youth.

Each year, the Everychild Foundation invites roughly 30-50 non-profit organizations to apply for its single annual grant. Everychild Foundation is comprised of 225 Los Angeles women who each donate $5,000 in annual dues in lieu of putting on fundraising events. Formed in 2000, the group has now given just under $6 million in grants. Prior grants have funded a mobile dental clinic, construction of 15 new libraries in public elementary schools, renovation and expansion of a child abuse counseling center, the building of a youth learning center at a home for troubled teens exiting the juvenile justice system, the purchase of a transitional home for emancipating foster youth and construction of a universally accessible playground.

At HOLA, the Everychild Foundation funds will be used to advance and support a landmark partnership between HOLA and Los Angeles City Recreation and Parks for the benefit of thousands of impoverished children annually. In the first year of the partnership, 60% more youth will be served through education programs, the fine arts programs will serve 60% more youth, and athletics programming will reach double the number of kids than both partners serve today. Funds provide for additions and alterations to the HOLA/ Lafayette Community Center capital project, a fully equipped wireless technology learning center, expanded classroom space for job training and college preparatory classes and middle and high school enrichment programs, an office for HOLA program staff, and furnishings.

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[03/25/2008]

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