VOALA Blog

2012-01-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

The Lakers pay tribute to MLK

The Lakers invited Volunteers of America staff and program participants to the game against the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on Martin Luther King Day. Military veterans who are struggling with challenges returning to civilian life in VOALA Veterans Programs and families from VOALA Head Start programs enjoyed watching their Lakers beat the Mavs in what was a very close game.

VOALA was introduced on the big screen along during the first quarter break along with a video highlighting the Lakers Team Up community programs they hosted throughout the city. During the 2011 NBA lockout, the Lakers staff including coaches and The Laker Girls hosted events for our homeless and early education programs at VOALA Transition House and Hawthorne Head Start to distribute care packages, hang-out, sign autographs, and enjoy lunch provided by Jersey Mike’s Subs.

Thanks again to the Lakers organization for all the great work they do in our community. And for the shout out at the game last night!

Be Strong, Smart, and Bold with Girls Inc.®

2012-01-05T13:14:00.001-08:00

Girls Inc. New Year's Party in Boyle Heights

Girls Inc. is ready to begin the programs for girls throughout L.A. We provide research-based programs focusing on economic and media literacy, leadership development, nutrition and sexual health, date rape prevention, math, science and technology, and career options. This week we’re having New Year’s parties to meet the girls and their families that will be participating this year. Learn more about Girls Inc.

SCE Awards Grant to CyberTutoring program!

2011-12-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

Thank you SCE!

Southern California Edison has just awarded ourCyberTutoring program a generous grant of $15,000 to fund computer stations,software and assist with one of the key components of the Upward Bound program!

VOALA Upward Bound programs reach more than 300students each year and have an extremely high success rate. Over the years wehave helped thousands of teenagers be the first in their family to go tocollege. This is especially noteworthy as the kids we serve are educated inovercrowded inner-city schools with high dropout rates and low academicperformance. One semester of CyberTutoring has proven to advance a student onegrade, and impacts their lives immeasurably.

CyberTutoring happens online on a computer witha camera via the Internet and Skype. Thanksto these innovations and funders like SCE, tutoring has become a convenient andeffective way to make a real difference in a kid’s life. If you are interestedin participating or helping sponsor one of our programs email: info@voala.org

Loyola Fathers lead by example.

2011-12-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

Fathers and Sons from Loyola High School teamed up last weekend for a community service project at the VOALA North Hollywood Apartments. The project consisted of landscaping, painting, and replacing sprinkler systems at our largest affordable housing facilities for low-income families, the elderly and military veterans.

The Loyola Father’s Club has chosen Volunteers of America as their community service partner. Their mission of being A Man for Others can be experienced in many ways. One of the most meaningful may be in witnessing a father who puts these words into action. During this service program, fathers and sons work shoulder to shoulder improving the lives of other people. If you have a group that would like to participate in a service project, please email volunteer@voala.org

L.A. Lakers and VOALA Team Up!

2011-11-29T17:54:00.000-08:00

The Lakers Organization hosted a Team Up event on Tuesday, November 29, at the Volunteers of America Head Start early education program in Hawthorne. It was a day of fun and activities with the Laker Girls including games, sack races, bubble blowing, face painting and lunch donated by Mike’s Jersey Subs.

The Lakers have been active during the NBA lockout with their Team Up initiative. They partnered with VOALA on November 1, for their first event which was scheduled on what should have been their first home game of the season. The whole coaching staff came to VOALA Transition House downtown along with the Laker Girls to distribute care packages and enjoy music and lunch with the residents of the facility.

“We’ve always received such great support from the Los Angeles community,” said a Lakers rep in a press release about the program. “With the “Team Up” initiative we have the opportunity to give something back to the community by helping out various organizations that service many of our loyal fans.”

GIRLS INC. OF GREATER LOS ANGELES IN THE NEWS!

2011-09-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

Girls Inc. Executive Director, Kathryn Seiffert, was interviewed for a KTLA news spot to voice her opinion about the powerful messaging t-shirts can have.

In contrast to the shirts that are being sold at Forever 21, JC Penney and other stores, Girls Inc. has created t-shirts with positive messaging, like: Tell me my most attractive feature is my self-confidence.

View complete posting on KTLA Website: Forever 21 Pulls Controversial 'Allergic To Algebra' T-shirt from KTLA Website

VOALA receives $1 million for Veterans and their Families

2011-07-26T15:43:00.000-07:00

The Department of Veterans Affairs announced nearly $60 million in grants aimed at preventing homelessness among veterans and their families, with particular focus on veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki announced the awards, the first to be presented through VA’s new Supportive Services for Veteran Families program.

Volunteers of America of Los Angeles, which works to end homelessness there, is among the recipients of the initial SSVF grants.

A retired Navy lieutenant, Jim Howat, who serves as VOALA’s director of program development, expressed concern that L.A. is seeing more veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan slip into homelessness. The VA grant will go a long way in supporting housing initiatives as well as support programs for veterans and their families, Howat said. “We know we can put the money to work to make a difference,” he said. Click here to read full article.

VOALA VETERAN FEATURED IN LA TIMES

2011-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

LA Times journalist Steve Lopez writes about veteran's struggles in an article about Greg Valentini, a resident at the VOALA Hollywood Veterans Center.

Click here to read article.

KNITTERS WARM THE LIVES OF HOMELESS ON SKID ROW

2011-01-12T16:43:00.001-08:00

With the temperatures dipping into the 30s, this wet winter has been very hard on the homeless who desperately try to keep warm by night. To help, the VOALA Knitting Circle of Friends delivered 300 hand-knit scarves and hats at the Volunteers of America Drop-In Center on December 31, 2010.

The Knitting Circle started last April when a Volunteers of America board member’s wife brought donated yarn and proposed the idea of knitting scarves for the homeless. Linh Luong from the VOALA accounting department loved the idea and took on the project – recruiting knitters and teaching others in the office how to knit, purl, and be of service. The group could be seen every day in the lunch room. Donations of yarn and monetary contributions started coming in. The Circle grew to include a diverse group of VOALA staff-members, and a new circle was formed on the Metrolink train Linh takes each day from Baldwin Park, where another group can be found knitting on their way to and from work.

For most of us, when we think about home we think of warmth, family and security. The VOALA Knitting Circle of Friends aims to bring a little homey comfort to those struggling with homelessness on the streets of Los Angeles.

Proyecto Ayuda 2010 Connects Those Struggling with Homelessness with Resources December 9th

2010-12-01T12:00:00.001-08:00

On Thursday, December 9th, from 9am to 4pm, Proyecto Ayuda will provide a day of services for people struggling with homelessness in Boyle Heights and surrounding communities, hosted by the Volunteers of America Los Angeles Strengthening Families program. Proyecto Ayuda 2010 is a collaboration of county agencies, local businesses, non-profits, faith-based agencies, and other community members joining forces to provide resources for homeless individuals and families and those struggling to not become homeless.

Family and community services will include:

-Housing, Shelter, and Employment Assistance
-Medical & Dental
-Mental Health Services
-Legal Services
-Foreclosure & Tenants’ Rights Assistance
And much more.

According to Strengthening Families, the project goal is “to reengage our homeless neighbors with hospitality and direct resources, not just referrals.”

Proyecto Ayuda is providing help on the spot. By bringing all the agencies together in one place, families can access the assistance they need to hopefully get or keep them and their children off the street. This special day also aims to combat stereotypes about the homeless and help dispel the stigma.

As the recession continues, more families than ever are slipping into homelessness or teetering on the brink, living in cars and vans. Proyecto Ayuda recognizes that the homeless are not all the same. They are our neighbors, and they are often children and babies.

Ways You Can Help:

*Volunteer on December 9th at Proyecto Ayuda
*Make a donation to the project
*Donate supplies – especially baby items, toiletries, food products, and clothes

For more information, call (323) 657-5581

Asst. Secretary Duckworth to Speak at Opening of New Volunteers of America Veterans Center in Hollywood

2010-11-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, November 20, 2010, at 11:00 am, US Dept of Veteran Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Major L. Tammy Duckworth will speak at the opening ceremony and reception of Volunteers of America Los Angeles’s Hollywood Veterans Center.

The reception celebrates the opening of both the Hollywood Veterans Center, a residential facility for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars having extreme difficulty readjusting to civilian life, and The Barracks, a “Safe Haven” program for chronically homeless veterans.

More than 2 million U.S. troops have deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001. Pace, length and number of deployments is unprecedented. An unthinkable number of newly returning veterans are suffering from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). These invisible wounds, left untreated, often lead to drug and alcohol addiction, unemployment, poverty, homelessness, violence, and crime.

Both programs employ innovative approaches to veterans’ issues and provide long term transitional housing with case management and support services including treatment and counseling, advocacy, family reunification, etc.

Tammy Duckworth
Guest of honor Major Duckworth lost her legs in combat in Iraq. Since her recovery, she has dedicated her life to public service and advocating on behalf of the disabled and veterans. She is the recipient of the Purple Heart, the Air Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award, the Disabled Veteran of the Year award, the American Veterans Silver Helmet Award, and the George Washington University Colin Powell Public Service Award.

Volunteers of America Los Angeles
Volunteers of America is a social services organization committed to serving people in need, strengthening families, and building communities. They are focused on anticipating the needs of newly-returning soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan and ramping up services to deal with new challenges. Their veterans programs have a long history of comprehensive care for high-risk cases - VOALA has been serving Los Angeles since 1896. www.voala.org

VOALA's Veterans Programs featured on So Cal Connected

2010-11-11T15:59:00.000-08:00

Volunteers of America Los Angeles's veterans programs are featured on a recent episode of KCET's television program So Cal Connected. The show spotlights the plight of veterans looking for work.

Their piece points out that while Vietnam veterans took 9-12 years to become homeless, veterans from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are becoming homeless within months. This statistic really drives it home that we are facing an urgent situation in Los Angeles. Veterans are returning home with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and a desperate economy. Action is needed now.

Watch the video of the So Cal Connected show HERE
Our own vets champion Ronnie Boston is interviewed.

According to VOALA's Jim Hlawek, "This piece accurately captures the challenges faced by the veterans in our programs."

You can also check out the accompanying article from the KCET website HERE

It's entitled "Vets Helping Vets" and features an interview with VOALA's Jim Zenner, an inspiring example of a vet helping vets. The article talks about our new Hollywood Veterans Center, a program for vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

More than 2 million U.S. troops have deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001. Pace, length and number of deployments is unprecedented. These veterans are returning with alarmingly high rates of post-traumatic stress order (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), conditions that make reintegrating into civilian life a daunting task.

Volunteers of America Los Angeles is committed to anticipating the needs of newly-returned soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan and ramping up services to deal with new challenges. Our veterans programs employ innovative approaches and have a long history of comprehensive care for high-risk cases. VOALA has been serving Los Angeles since 1896.

To learn more about VOALA services for veterans, click HERE

To make a donation to help us help our vets, click HERE

Boyle Heights students plant new vegetable garden

2010-10-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

Volunteers of America Los Angeles's Boyle Heights LEAD students broke ground this month on a new community garden. Teens, parents, and even children as young as 2 all got dirty together as they dug holes to plant a cornucopia of different vegetables and flowers. Veggies will include staples like peppers, cucumbers, jalapenos, tomatoes, and eggplant, and will change with the seasons. The rows of the garden are marked by yellow yarn attached to colorful pencils staked at the ends - a creative use of school supplies.

The garden will be maintained by homeless families from the Strengthening Families program, who will also share and eat the fresh produce. Once everything is up and running, they also plan to bring their bounty to sell at the farmer’s market.

As everyone waited for the planting to get started, Serafin Seranno, who runs the LEAD program and coordinated the garden, addressed the crowd. He was amazed by the large turnout, he said. All the gardeners gathered in a circle and held hands, and Serafin reminded them that the garden was about more than just growing vegetables. “The garden is about doing something positive with your neighbors, people you might see all the time, but maybe have never met. It’s all about the community coming together,” he said.

Check out a slideshow of the garden planting below!

VOALA gets $3,120,000 for homeless services from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

2010-09-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

On August 31, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors awarded a grant of $3,120,000 to Volunteers of America Los Angeles for homeless services. These funds are part of the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program, which has received over a billion dollars from the Obama administration's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

According to the announcement, the money from the program is being spread to organizations nationwide that provide services for the homeless, including housing assistance, drug rehabilitation, and therapy. In Los Angeles, $4.6 million dollars were split among three agencies, with VOA receiving approximately two thirds of the money awarded.

To read the full announcement, click here.

To learn more about Volunteers of America's services for the homeless in Los Angeles, click here.

Bob shares his secret on not holding grudges in Psychology Today

2010-08-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

VOALA's President Bob Pratt was recently featured as an expert on keeping your cool in an article in Psychology Today magazine entitled "How to Let Go of a Grudge."

The article focuses on the phenomenon of bad drivers. Bob explains how when most of us would be tempted by road rage, he gives bad drivers the benefit of the doubt that they are not bad people, just people having a bad day - the same kind of slack he'd like to receive when he is not at his best. The author, Dr. Mark Goulston, describes Bob as "one of the least grudge holding and most even tempered people I know." The staff at VOALA might add that these are not bad qualities in a boss...

To read the full article and learn more about Bob's secrets of composure, click here.

VOALA President Bob Pratt interviewed in Santa Monica Daily Press

2010-08-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

Our own Bob Pratt spoke recently with the Santa Monica Daily Press about efforts to convert more VA buildings into housing for homeless veterans.

With estimates of over 15,000 homeless veterans on the streets of LA county, the article states that Santa Monica Mayor Bobby Shriver has been pushing for years for available buildings to be re-purposed to provide housing. The dire lack of such facilities is a problem exacerbated by "the large numbers of compromised veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and the appalling lack of mental health services available to them," especially as they suffer from high rates of PTSD and traumatic brain injury.

The article goes on to mention that around 15% of homeless veterans are women, often with children that enter homelessness alongside them. Bob Pratt describes his hopes for more housing opportunities for this particularly vulnerable group, as according to Pratt, female veterans' adjustment back to society is 'more and more severe,' due to 'negative sexual experiences on top of the PTSD.'

To read the full article and the rest of Bob's comments, click here.

Tom Hanks and Aaron Sorkin Join for Veterans Salute

2010-06-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

Tom Hanks and Aaron Sorkin are joining forces for a Veterans Salute to raise funds for Volunteers of America Los Angeles’s veterans programs. In an appeal from Tom Hanks, he says “it is appalling to learn that there are more than 10,000 homeless veterans in Los Angeles.” Writer/Producer Aaron Sorkin, of A Few Good Men, The West Wing, and Charlie Wilson’s War, will be talking to vets being served in VOALA’s programs at an upcoming dinner, where he will deliver the message that they are not forgotten, and they are not alone.

Many of the soldiers now returning from military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan are young men and women with families. With PTSD and traumatic brain injury emerging in epidemic proportions, this new generation of veterans needs a caring community. Funds raised from the appeal will go towards housing, job training and placement, and support services to help our wounded warriors transition back to civilian life.

To contribute to the Veterans Salute, click here. For more information about VOALA's services for veterans, click here.

First Lady Obama named national Girls Inc.® Honorary Chair

2010-05-26T15:00:00.001-07:00

First Lady Michelle Obama was recently announced as the Honorary Board Chair of the national organization of Girls Incorporated®, a non-profit committed to inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold.SM

From the official Girls Inc. press release:

In her short tenure as First Lady, Mrs. Obama has demonstrated her ability to speak to our nation's challenges with sensitivity and depth. Her new campaign on childhood obesity, Let's Move!, will improve the wellbeing of girls, and will complement and bolster efforts to empower girls in creating a healthy society.

VOALA operates local Girls Inc. chapters in various Los Angeles area high schools, and we are so pleased to share the excitement of this good news!

To learn more about Girls Inc. of Greater Los Angeles, click here.

Michelle Obama discusses military families with non-profit leadership

2010-05-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

According to The White House Blog, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden met Tuesday with Leadership 18, a coalition of non-profit CEOs, to discuss the issue of military families. The White House reports:

"The First Lady and Dr. Biden have issued a national call to action to address the unique challenges facing military families, build stronger civilian-military community ties, and engage and highlight the service and sacrifice of military families."

Click here to read the full post.

Knitting for the Homeless

2010-04-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

VOALA is knitting for the homeless.

Every day at lunch, staff members gather around the break table in a newly-formed knitting circle to make hats, scarves, (and the occasional unidentified accessory) for LA's homeless men and women.

Want to join our knitting circle?

You can get together with your friends or co-workers to perfect your knits and purls for a worthy cause!

Knit or crochet a scarf for the homeless and send it to us at:

VOALA, 3600 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 1500, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

Or if you don't know how to knit, you can send us some yarn and we'll knit it up for you! And remember: yarn donations are tax-deductible...even neon green ;)

Rotary Club of Los Angeles to present CITY OF ANGELS WINE FEST to benefit VOALA's homeless programs

2010-04-16T11:27:00.001-07:00

On Memorial Day, May 31st, the City of Angels Wine Fest, presented by the Rotary Club, will raise money for our homeless programs downtown. Festival-goers will enjoy a memorable day to eat, drink, and be of service, as proceeds from the event will support the renovation of the Rotary House shelter - a place of dignity on Skid Row.

These renovations will allow an increase in services for as many as 1,800 homeless men, women, and veterans annually.

The Wine Fest will be held at Music Center Plaza. Tickets are $65 and available for purchase at cityofangelswinefest.com

MEET VOALA: Resa, Girls Inc. Teen Coordinator

2010-04-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Resa started out as a member of a Girls Inc.® of Greater Los Angeles chapter in her high school. While in college, she was hired by the program.

As Teen Coordinator for Girls Inc., Resa goes out to elementary, middle, and high schools throughout Greater Los Angeles and implements the Girls Inc. curriculum - focusing on preventing adolescent pregnancy and promoting media literacy.

We asked Resa: What is your idea to improve Los Angeles?

Resa suggests concentrating on women on drugs and their families. She says one of the biggest challenges is that "people really don't know where to find help." We need to reach out more, plan more events to get the word out to these women that assistance is available.

Betty White to host Mother's Day episode of Saturday Night Live

2010-04-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

On May 8th, friend of VOALA Betty White will host the Mother's Day episode of Saturday Night Live. After a massive internet campaign by her legions of fans, producer Lorne Michaels was compelled to put the SNL spotlight on this former Golden Girl. Ms. White was also honored this year by a lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild. The lady is hot!

In addition to hosting Mother's Day on SNL, Betty is also the face of VOALA's 25th Annual "I Remember Mama" campaign to benefit elderly mothers in need in Los Angeles. We are so grateful to partner with the lady of the hour this Mother's Day to raise money for these special ladies.