At A Place Called Home, we firmly believe that experiences in the arts teach children to cultivate creativity, collaborate, invent, and innovate with peers. Additionally, arts education has a major impact on cognitive development and social engagement. Through the exploration of art in its many forms, our youth gain access to beauty through their own creations and through those of their peers, teachers, and role models.
At A Place Called Home, the summer months are the busiest time of year for our campus. With local schools on summer break, most kids have nowhere to go during the day and our members rely on APCH to provide a safe space.
At A Place Called Home, we’re passionate about instilling good health practices in the lives of kids and their families. Young people need to run, play, and exercise in a safe space. Most kids thrive in this kind of environment — whether it’s competitive or just for fun. But here’s the reality we’re facing: most schools in South Central Los Angeles don’t have the resources to offer physical education classes. Many families can’t afford everything needed for competitive sports, and many neighborhood parks simply aren’t safe to play in.
We’re committed to helping APCH youth take ownership of their lives and futures, pursue their aspirations with planning and hard work, and never give up. When South Central youth enter their teenage years, the risks and adversities they face amplify. Gangs, drugs, generational poverty, and teen pregnancy can derail promising young lives. At A Place Called Home, we provide our members with tools, resources, and opportunities that will open doors to limitless possibilities.
The power of mentoring unlocks a life our teens never dreamed possible.
Our work is never done in isolation. But many of the youth we serve experience isolation in their schools and homes. Not having someone to connect with and talk to leads to feelings of loneliness and hopelessness.
Relationships with caring adults are critical, and a parent and a mentor have very different functions in a teen’s life — that’s why we launched our L.I.F.E. Mentoring Program, a year-long formal mentoring relationship for our teens (aged 13-18) and caring adults in the community. These relationships are matched with input from the teen, the teen’s family, and the potential mentor.
Community partnerships are crucial to our ability to improve the lives of the kids and families we serve.
We know we can’t do our work alone. Our community partners support us through volunteerism, funding, food for our Thanksgiving celebration and other distribution events, toys for our Home for the Holidays festival, and formal wear for graduating teens attending our Cinderella & Prince Charming Project.
All of us are on a journey.
For some, the path appears straight as an arrow from beginning to end. For most, it bends and curves. There are intersections and roadblocks. Sometimes, we may even hit what appears to be a dead-end.
That’s why, at A Place Called Home, we commit ourselves — and our resources — to the young people, families, and community of South Central Los Angeles.
