Best Start Region 2 Grantees
5LA Nuevo Comienzo
In Region 2 (Manchester/Broadway, Compton/East Compton, Watts & Willowbrook, and West Athens), our goal is to address systemic inequality by expanding community education and family development programs. We will offer classes in ASL, literacy, computer skills, fitness, boxing, nutrition, and mental wellness, and organize educational field trips. By the end of 2024, we aim to engage 100 families and 40 children.
Website: https://www.nuevostart.com/
Fathers and Mothers Who Care
Little Green Acres Garden and Food Exchange is a community garden in Broadway Manchester that provides free, fresh produce to seniors, low-income families, and homeless residents. Located on S. Vermont Avenue, a designated food desert, it helps mitigate health risks like stroke, heart attack, and diabetes by offering a safe space to grow and share fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, lettuces, cantaloupe, and berries.
Fathers and Mothers Who Care (FMWC) introduces the Fixed Income Assistance Program for Compton residents, aiming to support 49 participants over 12 months. Currently active in SPA 2 and SPA 8, FMWC identifies a crucial need in Compton. This program provides vital aid to individuals on fixed incomes, helping them maintain housing stability and cover essential expenses. With modest investments typically ranging from $300 to $700, we’ve seen significant impacts, particularly for those receiving SSA, SSI, or retirement pensions. Open to all ages, participants must demonstrate documented fixed income status to qualify.
The Broadway Manchester and Compton communities house some of our city’s most vulnerable residents, including those with justice involvement and housing instability. These individuals are particularly prone to poverty, with a 2018 Bureau of Justice report finding formerly incarcerated people ten times more likely to become homeless. FMWC proposes TeleWorks, a 14-week job training program aimed at breaking this cycle by preparing at-risk individuals for well-paying careers in telecommunications. Partnering with major companies like ATT, T-Mobile, Spectrum, and Verizon, TeleWorks successfully ran in 2020 before the pandemic forced its closure. Now, we aim to relaunch this vital program.
Website: https://fmwc.org/
Urban Uplift, Inc.
Our project aims to secure affordable, quality, healthy food options for the Best Start Broadway-Manchester (BSBWM) community by recruiting at least 25 local mini market operators into the Los Angeles Food Policy Council’s Healthy Neighborhood Market Network. We will provide equipment and connect families with CalFresh benefits to access inexpensive healthy food weekly. Success in creating a locally independent, healthy food economy will demonstrate to local governments how to support community-driven movements against food deserts, fostering stronger, more engaged communities for families with young children.
Website: https://urbanupliftla.com/
Blacks In Motion Community Development
Blacks in Motion (BIM) introduces the Pilot Compton Resource Directory Program, aimed at serving as many of Compton’s 89,695 residents as possible over 12 months. With a reported poverty rate of 17.3%, approximately 15,517 residents are affected, though the actual number may be higher due to unreported cases, including those impacted by homelessness. BIM plans to refer 3-5% of these individuals to community partners for essential services in the program’s first year. By consolidating existing resources into a user-friendly online and paper database, accessible through both the Internet and door-to-door distribution, BIM aims to provide vital support where it’s needed most.
Website: https://urbanupliftla.com/
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church South Los Angeles (Bethelsola)
Bethelsola – BSWW project in collaboration with our other community partners will address the health and well-being of children aged prenatal to age 5 living in South LA, who do not have access to affordable or free, quality, healthy food options. The project will serve a minimum of 2000 children who may suffer from food insecurity. The project will be implemented between May 2024 – September 2024, when many school-age children are on break from school and are most likely not to have enough to eat.
Website: https://www.bethelsola.com
WatchIt Grow, Inc.
Watchitgrow Incorporated, based in the Willowbrook/Watts area, has been tackling the growing homeless crisis since 2004. We’ve provided shelter and transitional housing for over 2400 individuals, including veterans, those with substance abuse issues, and individuals with mental illness. Our volunteer committee has grown to 580 residents dedicated to community improvement. Addressing food insecurity, our Food Distribution Program operates at four locations, five times a week, having served over 150,000 residents with essential supplies since 2006. Our ongoing mission includes establishing a daily pantry to ensure continual support for our community.
Website: https://www.watchitgrowinc.net/
Aaron Community Cultural Center
We offer a continuum of services, including education, social skills development, employment training, and family support programs. Fro early childhood development to senior services, we are dedicated to building strong individuals, families, and communities.
Our Community Empowerment and Wellness Initiative project offers a comprehensive approach to addressing community needs. It includes parenting and skill-building classes covering essential subjects like typing, computer literacy, and financial management. We also aim to improve access to affordable, culturally relevant healthy food options, supporting local food economies and ensuring a steady supply of fresh produce. Addressing homelessness, we provide resources for navigating affordable housing systems and offer shared transformational housing tailored to women aged 35 to 60. Additionally, our initiative increases access to culturally competent mental health providers and connects residents with vital coping skills and stress management resources. This initiative is designed to empower our community, promote well-being, and foster self-sufficiency.
Website: https://acccbsm.com/
Praise Sanctuary
The PSC Farmer’s Market Pilot Program aims to enhance the PSC Food Program by offering affordable fresh produce at our location. With limited access to grocery stores in the area, our initiative introduces local vendors providing a variety of produce. We plan to engage the community through educational sessions with an on-site nutritionist, fostering discussions on improving fresh produce access. Data collected will inform local leaders and decision-makers. Ongoing planning prioritizes community input, ensuring diverse needs are met. Surveys before and after the pilot will gauge its impact on our community.
Website: http://praisesc.org/
Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD)
As wages lag behind inflation and housing costs rise, families with young children in South LA face limited access to affordable housing. In this area, 36% of renters spend over half their income on housing, compared to 29% countywide. The Coalition for Responsible Community Development (CRCD) aims to address this by engaging Best Start Region 2 parents and local organizations in surveys and focus groups to identify housing barriers. With a research consultant, CRCD will create resident-defined recommendations to inform policy and systems change for better housing access. A community conversation will share findings with Best Start families, LAHSA, HACLA, local CBOs, and other stakeholders.
Website: https://coalitionrcd.org/about/
Compton Advocates Coalition
The Compton Advocates Community Empowerment Project addresses resource disparities in Compton and nearby areas, empowering residents and local nonprofits. Through programs like an annual resource fair and workshops on self-improvement, mental health, and leadership for youth and adults, the project aims to benefit 2,000 individuals annually. With a successful five-year history, it seeks to surpass this goal and establish a sustainable model for community empowerment and resource accessibility.
Website: https://www.comptonadvocates.org/