“High in the mountains under clear dark skies, Shaneli “Wookie” Mirpuri loves reminding everyone at UCLA UniCamp about the joys of looking up. More than 100 miles away from the lights of Los Angeles, the skies above the kids attending the camp for low-income children dazzle with more stars than they’ve ever seen before.” Read the full story here.
“Team Prime Time’s Virtual Station! We took elements from our after school program and digitized it for you to view at your convenience. Find a resource, hone your skills, win a challenge or get Bruin fit- the Prime Time Way, alongside our amazing staff and supporters.”
Here is a great video they have on how to make cloud dough!
Click here to join in on their digital experience and watch more videos
South Bay Village Incorporated received a grant to support program expenses associated with volunteer recruitment, training and retention, as well as activities associated with connecting volunteers to seniors in need. The mission of South Bay Village is to help seniors in their community age in place with dignity and self-respect. Their purpose is to coordinate and deliver a range of volunteer driven services and programs that support health and wellness among older adults.
RowLA’s Learn-to-Row Summer Camp! Even though things are very different this year, it is great to be able to have so much outdoor space to accommodate small groups who can learn while keeping social distance and wearing masks, getting exercise, learning all about rowing, and having fun!
“The first question Rebuilding Together Mountain Communities receives in any conversation, be it a social setting or on the phone with a prospective applicant, is, “How do you decide who gets help?” The simple answer is we use a rating sheet where several factors are listed and points are given for each category during the site inspection. When all homes have been inspected the points are tallied and the 5 to 6 highest are selected. Simple right? Hardly. We truly want to help everyone and sometimes it hurts to have to say no to someone who is struggling or is worried about problems with their property. We see that this home may be the only asset that they have, and may symbolize independence and normalcy. RTMC’S goal is to keep you “Safe, Warm, & Dry in your own home” with the help of our neighbors.
To do this work we require help from volunteers, contributors and our mountain contractors. When all of us work together we make lives better and help to keep our mountain community beautiful and vibrant.
Each year we ask those that can, to become a home sponsor with a contribution of $1500 or more entitling them to be recognized helping a particular home. Not everyone can be so generous, but any amount will help from any person or group. Consider it an investment in your community and your neighbors.
By the middle of November, the selections will be made and this 26-year organization will be working toward another successful Rebuilding Day on the last Saturday in April, 2020. We hope to see you there,prepared to receive that warm feeling like no other, of helping your neighbor.”
“Thankful Thursday is highlighting PTV superstar board member Robin Schoenfeld 🌟 She has gone above and beyond by helping us apply for emergency grants, actively participating in on our Monday resiliency groups, instructing virtual somatic exercise classes to help the PTV community stay active, and diligently crafting fabulously patterned face masks for our survivors so they are protected when they are out in public for essential tasks. Thank you for your endless enthusiasm, huge heart, stupendous stitchery skills, exhilarating exercises, and much more 💙
We are incredibly grateful for her efforts during this unprecedented time. We cannot do our jobs helping out survivors as effectively without people like her and you.
Check out Robin’s marvelous masks in action on our survivors and see her in action leading a somatic exercise class today! You can join in for a session on Zoom Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:30pm PST. Get moving for, as Robin likes to say, “tasty” feeling exercises!”
“In August of 2019, the IAMLA made its photographic collection accessible online. Since then, the museum had received scores of inquiries from researchers across the world and several members of the general public who found family members in the vintage photos held in the museums collection.
The IAMLA is proud to announce the launch of the portion of its object collection that has been cataloged and digitized to date. The online launch of the museums object collection was made possible by a grant from the State of California.
Click the link to start searching!”
The Children’s Invitation to Ballet program offers elementary and middle school students the opportunity to experience abridged versions of full-length classical ballets in a professional theater setting.
Narrated performances are complete with props and costumes and provide an educational, fun and professional experience for children.
Click here to learn more about Festival Ballet Theatre.
Volunteer OpportunitiesFamilies & Criminal Justice has volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups. All volunteers who will have contact with project participants must complete a Volunteer Screening application and a LiveScan. Individuals with a history of criminal justice system involvement must not have been incarcerated within the last five years.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS
Families & Criminal Justice would be very grateful for the on-going assistance of technical experts, like IT or media specialists who can help us with communications.
We also need trained, experienced childcare workers for half-day family events every month.
Families & Criminal Justice has a great and on-going need for legal assistance. We are seeking legal experts to become part of our team, helping us to understand the complex criminal, juvenile and family law issues that arise in our work. We are also looking for experienced family and juvenile law practitioners to provide pro bono assistance to one family each year.
Licensed infant mental health, mental health and social workers are needed to provide pro bono therapeutic services for one child each year.
Families & Criminal Justice is also seeking the assistance of financial experts like bankers, accountants and educators to make presentations on family finances to participants in our services. We can also use the help of consumer advocates for this purpose.
We especially welcome volunteer performances by entertainers, including skilled and experienced actors, comedians, singers and musicians.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROUPS
School groups, social clubs, and the congregations of churches, mosques, synagogues and temples can volunteer for Families & Criminal Justice. Groups can host and provide hospitality for participant events; they can also conduct fundraisers or do community outreach for our program. We also welcome volunteer performances by groups of entertainers.
APPLY TO VOLUNTEER
Individuals and groups interested in volunteering for Families & Criminal Justice should Email Us. Provide a statement of your interests and availability in your email. Individuals should attach a resume and groups should provide a link to their website.
“Thank you again for the books. I read them all and will read them again in the summer. It was the best thing that happened since school closed” –Parmalee Elementary School student
Thanks to everyone who supported our COVID book giveaways. Many of you provided funding while others helped sort books. Along with our partner The Book Foundation, we have distributed close to 80,000 books since April 4. Books provide a great refuge during these uncertain times. We serve children who rarely travel past the three-block radius of their homes. Sadly, the pandemic has shrunk their world further.
As one principal told us, “There are not enough words to thank you for the books that were donated and distributed to our students and families. All 800 sets of books were given out to our students during a time when the future of learning was uncertain. At the time of distribution, we had students without computers or the internet as well as many students who were unsure as to how to navigate the world of online learning. These books provided a familiar learning tool and gave our students a way to escape into another reality — one filled with adventure and familiarity, during a time of uncertainty and fear. Seeing their faces light up when they received their books has been a silver lining to this pandemic and I am forever grateful.”Before the end of the school year, author DJ MacHale participated in our first virtual book club. Christian, a student at Virginia Road Elementary said, “It was really neat how a famous person like DJ took time to talk to us and teach us about writing. I thought he was really cool. I want to be a writer like DJ someday.” We plan on hosting numerous virtual book clubs when schools start.