I applied to St. Margaret's Center's Renter Protection / Homeless Prevention Program as a qualified…read moreCity of Hawthorne resident...referred by the city's own homeless services team, who considered me a clear candidate. Over a full month I submitted extensive documentation, completed every intake form, and was completely honest about my finances and my hardship, including deeply personal information. I was denied. The reason: my income doesn't currently cover my expenses. Sit with that. This is a program that exists to prevent homelessness, and I was turned away for experiencing the exact hardship it's designed to address. I was told to reapply once my income covers my expenses...but if it did, I wouldn't need rental assistance at all. The program's own logic screens out the people who need it most and reserves help for those already close to stable. What frustrated me most was pouring a month of time, honesty, and privacy into a process that was never structured to help someone in active crisis. If this program only assists people who are already nearly self-sufficient, say so upfront--so applicants and the agencies referring them aren't misled. I hope leadership re-examines eligibility criteria that leave the most vulnerable applicants with nothing.

Great Non Profit serving the community. They are truly compassionate & caring when it comes to…read morehelping the less fortunate.

Great organization to be a part of if you are in the South Bay. I've been a mentor for 2 years with…read morethe same girl that I was paired from Orange County when I first joined. Though due to the distance between the girl and I, we weren't able to attend any of of the mentor/mentee activities that took place in the South Bay. However, we made our own calendar and did our thing in the last two years such as miniature golfing, Afternoon Tea, mani/pedis , and finding new restaurants and dessert places around OC to visit every time we got together. Walk With Sally is a nonprofit organization located in the South Bay, that pairs mentors with kids whose parent had either passed away from cancer or is currently battling cancer. They are trying to branch out to other cities (when I joined 2 years ago - I was probably the first mentor that they paired with a child that was not in the South Bay.) Give them call even if you are not in the South Bay and ask if they have child near your city that you could mentor. It's such a great organization in that some of the mentors in the program were kids who had lost a parent - and as an adult they have chosen to give back to the organization that had helped them through one of the hardest times of their lives. All they ask is that you dedicate 8-10 hours a month to your mentee. It could be one day a month where you spend the day together, or a couple hours a week. Hopefully through that friendship, you'll be able to make an impact on each other's lives and make a difference. Cheers!

I have been very privileged over the last year to partner with this incredible, amazing Nonprofit…read moreand just recently I began mentoring through the group. Walk with Sally is an organization that provides mentoring support programs and services to children (ages 7-17) who have parents or siblings with cancer. In many cases, the children in the program have one or both parents going through end stage cancer and are in need of a friend who has been through a similar trial with cancer. Having gone through the same thing at 22, when my Mom passed away after a five year battle with cancer, this has a been a touching way to give back and honor the amazing people who supported me through one of the most challenging periods of my life. Being a mentor is not only about the disease, but is one on one time with a child who for all intents just wants to be a kid. WWS organizes many events like for the mentors and mentees like ice-skating at Toyota Center, attending baseball games, star-watching at the Observatory, or just hanging out and being kids together. As we reflect on the New Year's and our goals to be more selfless and to make a change in the world, I wanted to post this business as an awareness and also as a suggestion for making a positive impact in the New Year. For requesting more information on mentorship, all you have to do is visit the website and perhaps talk with the program director Zina about attending an information session. There are children waiting for matches all throughout LA, so please don't worry about proximity to the the Torrance office. This has been a great organization and an experience that continues to give back to me much more than I could put into words or give to it. Please check it out and if cancer has touched your life (as it has most of ours), think about mentorship or supporting this great local organization.

lady's do not come here! I left Casa de Los Angelitos just three weeks before giving birth because…read morethe mental stress was unbearable. Staff showed clear favoritism, picking and choosing which clients to help and deciding who could stay longer. Some even threw my food out. The environment was unsafe and unprofessional -- when I arrived, some residents who had already had their babies were smoking weed inside. This place is supposed to be supportive, but instead it was chaotic, discriminatory, and mentally draining. I cannot recommend it to anyone.

Casa De Los Angeles provides much needed room and board, as well as crucial support for pregnant…read morewomen. I've been helping out for a while now and have witnessed the warmth and love given to the mothers and babies. Truly one of a kind home.

Omg meet me tell you how great this food was! They had the freshest box I have ever had in my life…read more Oh the amount of food I got fed my family for weeks . Thank you so much. I didn't snap a picture but I can say it was an amazing experience. The service was exceptional and the value of the goods were beyond bomb.

Ms Ann is amazing, she has provided services to myself, and my family for over 2yrs now. The food…read moreis great and healthy and the location provides an ambience of peace!!! Weather it's visiting the garden area or just having a bite to eat!!! You will feel like you're on a trip for a day!!! May God continue to bless the vision and purpose of Ms Ann and Project 43. The marathon continues...... @juicyteas424.

This volunteer run charity is helping many local people. I appreciate their kindness in these hard…read moretimes. Follow them to see their calendar.

I met Noel while he was collecting donations for his nonprofit organization. He is genuinely the…read moresweetest person you will ever meet. I work in retail and see him working around the clock, night and day for his community. I let him know that I knew of people who needed help and he offered to extend his hours so I can stop by after work to pick up what my friends needed. In addition to his local contributions he also ships containers to the communities in the country of Trinidad. He's showed me footage of his work which I believe he uploads to a YouTube channel, and you can see the joy in his eyes when he puts a smile on someone's face. If you ever want to donate to a good cause, this organization is the real deal. Thank you Noel, you're very much appreciated.

My overall experience is MEDIOCRE. I'm currently using the free hot meal program. I have my PROS &…read moreCONS. Here's the PROS. The serving staff are friendly, They allow us to get seconds & thirds. Here are the CONS, The building is old & decrepit. No air conditioning. So does the restrooms. Overall, the food sometimes good & sometimes mediocre. Also, the food pantry is MEDIOCRE as well. I don't always get what I wanted.

COA is a critical access point for the Long Beach community. They accommodated my teaching project…read morefor earthquake preparedness and everyone is so kind.

My Special Needs grandson has gone to Friendship Foundation camp for 2 wonderful weeks. He loves it…read moreso much and can't wait to go back. Friendship Foundation is an organization that helps Special kids and adults in Southern California. It is located in the Redondo Beach area. It is easy to get to. There is nothing you will not love about this place. They have so many programs and activities, but I will address only the camp here. Your child or adult will be teamed up with a buddy, and the fun starts. There are so many volunteers and staff, all who care about only making the campers happy, safe, and able to form new friendships. They teach kindness and sharing and letting everyone know that no matter your "disability" you are perfect just the way you are. If you have a Special person in your life, you are lucky. They will love this camp. No one is left out. It is just joyful.

Friendship Foundation has been a blessing in our lives! They truly care about the individuals they…read morework with and every Friendship Foundation staff is kind, compassionate, and so supportive. They offer a wide range of fun activities/ in person programs and zoom programs to help kids/ teens, and adults engage in social activities. Their summer camp is also nothing short from awesome! If you love someone with special needs, you'll love this organization

I am so excited to know the people involved with this non-profit. I am mostly familiar with the…read moreart program that Creative Flow Arts and A Future Superhero offers to youth, My son has been going since Summer 2021. What we love about this program is the dedication and the genuine kindness from Yuri and JC towards each artist. These young artists are not only learning techniques but life lessons to use as they grow. Besides the art program, Yuri does amazing work in communities all over the US. The passion really does stand out!