Los Angeles Nonprofits Receive $694,000 to Improve Local Communities

Los Angeles — The California Community Foundation announced today that it has awarded $694,000 to five nonprofit organizations in the Los Angeles area. These nonprofits serve their communities in the areas of early education, employment and neighborhood revitalization. The grants are part of the foundation’s ongoing commitment to its Nurturing Neighborhoods/Building Community grantmaking initiative and range from $90,000 to $204,000.

A $204,000 education grant was awarded to the Alliance for a Better Community to increase the enrollment of low-income Latino children in preschool programs and to provide after-school tutoring to English language learners in kindergarten through eighth grade.

“The Alliance for a Better Community is delighted to receive the California Community Foundation’s support,” said Veronica Melvin, executive director of the organization. “The community foundation’s contribution allows us to ensure that Latino three- and four-year-olds have access to quality preschool opportunities and that English language learners receive the additional educational services they need to be successful in their elementary school years.”

The Alliance for a Better Community is a coalition of Latino organizations and individuals that came together in 2001 to develop a Latino agenda in the areas of health, education, economic opportunity and civic participation for the Los Angeles region.

Additional education grants include a $100,000 grant to support Gateway Cities Partnership’s computerized tutoring program for low-income children ages four to 14 in Paramount, and a $150,000 grant to Torch Middle School to provide one-on-one after-school tutoring for low-income children in the City of Industry.

A $150,000 employment grant awarded to Community Build supports a job readiness program for young adults in South Los Angeles who are emancipating from foster care. The program includes life skills training in areas such as financial literacy, work ethics and problem-solving, as well as a broad array of supportive services.

A $90,000 neighborhood revitalization grant supports Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles’ neighborhood revitalization efforts, including the renovation of a 118-unit apartment building for low-income seniors and the creation of two soccer fields in South Los Angeles.

Established in 1915, the California Community Foundation is one of the largest and most active philanthropic organizations in Southern California, with assets of more than $750 million. In partnership with its donors, the foundation supports nonprofit organizations and public institutions with funds for health and human services, affordable housing, early childhood education, community arts and culture and other areas of need.

Education

Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), Los Angeles ($204,000)
The Alliance for a Better Community is a coalition of Latino organizations and individuals that came together in 2001 to develop a Latino agenda in the areas of health, education, economic opportunity and civic participation for the Los Angeles region. A community foundation grant supports an early education program designed to increase the preschool enrollment of three- and four-year-old children as well as to provide after-school tutoring to English language learners.

Gateway Cities Partnership, Paramount ($100,000)
Founded in 1996, Gateway Cities Partnership provides academic tutoring, business assistance and financial services to low-income individuals and families living in southeastern Los Angeles. Gateways’ academic mentoring program provides reading, writing and math tutoring, after-school homework assistance and parent outreach. A grant from the foundation supports the organization’s efforts to provide computerized tutoring in math and literacy to children ages four to 14 in the city of Paramount.

Torch Middle School, City of Industry ($150,000)
Torch Middle School is committed to helping students become academically successful, and equipping parents with the knowledge needed to help their children succeed in school and in life. A community foundation grant supports the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teacher-training program, which provides one-on-one after-school tutoring to low-income Latino children in sixth through eighth grades.

Employment

Community Build, Los Angeles ($150,000)
Founded in response to the civil unrest of April 1992, Community Build provides educational guidance and vocational training skills to African-American youth and adults. Currently, the center provides free mobile health services, family planning services and tattoo removal, and operates a college center that offers SAT preparation and college counseling. A grant from the community foundation supports an employment program for young adults released from foster care.

Neighborhood Revitalization

Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles ($90,000)
Concerned Citizens of South Los Angeles is a community-based organization that serves as a center of information to organize and unite the African-American community of South Los Angeles. A grant from the community foundation supports the development of 71 low- to moderate-income single family homes that will be purchased by first-time homebuyers , the renovation of a 118-unit apartment building for low-income seniors, the development of a shopping center, and the creation two soccer fields in the Watts and Vernon-Central areas of South Los Angeles.