Excellent Education. Powerful Families. Strong Communities.

Annual Report

2020-2021

Letter from the CEO & Board of Directors Chair


Dear Para Los Niños Supporters, Our 2020-2021 program year was unlike any other in PLN’s history. We saw the continuation of our work to combat the impact of COVID-19 — relief efforts that had started at the beginning of the pandemic– and by September 2020, our first classrooms started to reopen. What we learned from those initial re-openings about protecting our children, families and staff laid the groundwork for a more comprehensive return to classrooms, offices and in-person programming throughout the rest of 2020 and into 2021. Our physical safety protocols were, and continue to be, mighty, extensive, and effective. But what we did, and what we learned, goes way beyond physical safety.

True to who we are at Para Los Niños, we recognized that the community we serve is disproportionately impacted by this crisis, and that the way to address that impact was to lean into our relationship-based approach. For us that has meant understanding that the path to wellness is in our deep connection with the children, youth and families we serve, and in building on and nurturing that connection to mount a collective response to a daunting crisis. The pandemic has only compounded the effects of generational and institutional inequity – and it has lit a fire under our work and increased the urgency to deepen the relationships we have with those we serve in order to combat the trauma they face every day.

This has been a year of many unique challenges, but also of so many achievements. The resourcefulness of our students, families, staff, and communities continues to amaze us all. Faced with unprecedented barriers, our attendance was high and enrollment in mental health support actually increased. Additionally, our community work expanded to reach many more of those in need, and to lift voices towards systemic change – to address the issues defined by our communities as key barriers to success. Whether it was through our work to distribute food, supplies or technology, surveys, gatherings or focus groups, we met our community members online and safely outdoors to listen, learn, and strategize as to how we could maximize our support.

As you look through this report, we hope you feel proud to be a supporter of what we all accomplished together. Our recognition in this year’s issue has expanded to include in-kind donors and partners, because, like no year before, this year it truly took all of our networks to help children, youth, and families thrive.

We know you too will be inspired by the stories of Lucia and Janet included in this report. They are just two of so many, but their journeys reflect the people of Para Los Niños. The strength and determination evidenced in their stories is a constant reminder of the importance of our work. We are here to be that extra hand, the connection to a resource, and the partner through difficult times as our children, youth, and caregivers strive to take the next step toward their goals.

We hope that you will take a few minutes to peruse our website, paralosninos.org. We have revamped our online presence to put our mission in the foreground and to emphasize the expansive impact we have on the Los Angeles communities we partner with each day.

Thank you for being in our family,


President & Chief Executive Officer

Drew Furedi, Ed.D

Board of Directors, Chair

Marjorie Ehrich Lewis

Who We Serve


All children, youth, and families should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.

No one should be held back based on their income, immigration status, home language, or zip code. While research shows that these factors can create barriers, Para Los Niños partners with our communities to help students and families get to where they want to be: ready, for a future of their choosing.

10,000+

Children, youth, and adults served in the 2020 fiscal year

Under $15,000

Annual income for the majority of families receiving support from Student & Community Services

67%

Families speak Spanish as their primary language

52%

Para Los Niños parents do not have a high school diploma

We serve families from all across Los Angeles County.

Our Model


We believe in the children, youth, and families we serve. Through excellent education, supporting powerful families, and strengthening our communities, we can all thrive together

Early

Education

At our seven early education centers, we provide more than 450 children with high-quality academic, social, and emotional education to become lifelong learners. Working closely with children as young as six-weeks and engaging parents, we ensure they have a strong support system that will carry them to success well beyond preschool.

TK-8th

Education

Our Gratts Primary Charter School, Charter Elementary School, and Charter Middle School provide quality education, wraparound services, and after-school services to nearly 1,000 children grades Transitional Kindergarten (TK) – 8. Our project-based approach keeps students intellectually enriched and our social emotional integration develops vital skills like confidence and character.

Youth

Workforce Services

Over 2,000 youth and adults are provided opportunities and support to complete high-school, move on to college, build their careers and engage in their community each year. Through workshops, mentorship, internships, and case management, our staff helps to open new opportunities for students and families to become self-sufficient and reach their full potential.

Student

& Community Services

We build a strong foundation with thousands of children and adults annually through leadership and support groups, ESL education, in-home counseling, clinical support, and parenting workshops. Our services strengthen families and create a supportive community to help children and families thrive.

Our Impact


We believe in the children, youth, and families we serve. Through excellent education, supporting powerful families, and strengthening our communities, we can all thrive together

1.5 Million

Meals served to PLN families and community members

20%

Growth in reading comprehension at PLN Charter Elementary School across all grade levels

18,556

Hours of mental health sessions for children, youth, and families

100%

Of Youth Workforce Services’ college success program participants remained in school

918

Youth received paid internships totaling nearly 90,000 hours and over $1 million paid

3,447

Children and families received education and support from our Student & Community Services teams

Highlights of 2020


While the year posed extreme challenges, there were many moments to celebrate and opportunities to support our families like never before.

Early Education centers re-opened their centers in addition to distance learning in September 2020 – starting with just over 100 students and quickly increasing to nearly 200 by Spring – allowing families to get back to work and students back on track.

Charter Schools re-opened in April 2021 for high-risk, high-need students to have access to secure internet, technology support, and three meals a day.

Youth Workforce Services partnered with the Los Angeles College Promise Program, ensuring that over 200 students from East Los Angeles College and Los Angeles City College worked one-on-one with academic advisors, received resources, job information, and were supported through the year.

• PLN saw an increase in parents enrolling in mental health services – a great sign that virtual sessions gave greater access, and that the stigma against therapy is shrinking.

CARES Act granted $1 million for 3,000 families to have food delivered to their homes for four months, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in grocery gift cards.

Ford Motor Company secured a discount on a new truck for our facilities team to manage the influx of donations and needs across our 17 sites, and donated air filtration systems for our classroom and 100,000 masks for our community.

Celebramos on May 5, 2021 celebrated the moments of joy and hope through the difficult year – welcoming staff, donors, and families to join the fun.

• Over 1,000 residents, community based organizations, elected officials, and philanthropic leaders attended the first virtual Best Start Region 1 Driving Equity and Justice Community Town Hall on April 24, 2021. The initiative was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to develop a call to action – a Community Bill of Human Rights.

Therapy to Thrive


Para Los Niños, mental health staff support our students, and students across Los Angeles. Three years ago, Daibelis “Dee” Yerena, LMFT, Intake Coordinator & Therapist at Para Los Niños, was referred a family from LAUSD whose daughter was seriously struggling in her kindergarten class. Every day the family would get a call that Lucia* had left her class, had cursed at a teacher or student, or had thrown things out of anger. This impacted the whole family, and was threatening even their employment, as mom had to keep leaving to pick Lucia up.

The family felt that the school had labeled Lucia as a “bad kid” and wasn’t supporting them. Lucia was falling behind at school due to all the time lost for discipline. Dee developed a plan, and started individual therapy sessions with Lucia, family sessions with Mom, Dad, Lucia and her little sister, and set meetings with the school to ensure Lucia was safe and on track.

Play and art based therapy sessions with Lucia allowed Dee to see the outbursts and connect with Lucia – building a safe and trusting relationship. Dee discovered that mom and dad often fought and Lucia was mirroring this behavior – just as her younger sister was starting to mirror her. Dee met with the parents for couple’s therapy to help them communicate, build conflict resolution skills, and strengthen their relationship. “Doing all the sessions – individual, couples, and family therapy really gives you the context to really support the family,” says Dee of the benefit of PLN’s integrated model.

Dee also met with teachers weekly, and supported the parents in formally requesting an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for Lucia to have the extra support she needed. With the IEP, Lucia was granted more time for subjects and placed in a smaller class setting. “From there we started to see more and more progress,” says Dee. “She started thriving academically, and in the classroom because of the relationship she was building with the teacher, and she was now seeing school as a support – not a threat.”

Lucia’s parents also now had the tools at home to connect with each other and with Lucia, to better support her. By June 2020, knowing the family was on the right track and trust was restored, Dee was able to close the case.

Recently, Dee received a call from Lucia’s mom, “Mom called to share how she and her husband were doing well in their relationship, and that Lucia was doing well academically, that she was thriving.”

Keeping Children and Staff Safe


Para Los Niños prioritized how to get students and staff safely back in our buildings as soon as possible.

35+

training sessions conducted for staff and leadership to be informed on safety practices

Over 10,000

masks distributed to children, youth, and families

Covid-19 Vaccine

PLN supported the scheduling and transportation for COVID-19 vaccines to support community members and PLN staff to protect themselves and their communities

From the start of the pandemic, PLN established a COVID-19 taskforce to tactfully and efficiently address the needs of our children and families, but also the needs of our staff. In order to reopen our classrooms, we needed to communicate often with county and state officials, but also with our staff to ensure they felt supported during this uncertain time.

Despite the risks, our staff were eager to open our doors and engage with our communities. Many even met clients in parks with six feet distance and masks.

When the early education centers first opened in fall of 2020, our Early Education Team, Operations Team, and the COVID-19 taskforce quickly developed the protocol and laid the groundwork for the charter schools and family support services to resume in-person meetings as well. While we continue to adapt, we are confident in the safety of our campuses today and are hopeful as we learn more and more to keep all safe and healthy.

Para Los Niños in the Community


In the summer of 2020, while communities across the world were still trying to find ways to meet the unprecedented needs of those most acutely impacted by the pandemic, the Para Los Niños Community Transformation teams expanded their efforts to directly respond to our families’ areas of need.

Throughout the summer, our distributions of food, cleaning and hygiene supplies, served tens of thousands. With our deep community relationships – thanks in a very large part to our Promotora network, organization partners, and our dedicated staff, we quickly developed cooperatives with partners to ensure that distributions were promoted and accessible to those unable to pick up the goods in person by mobilizing delivery services.

Due to our great success in supporting thousands, PLN’s Best Start initiative was granted $1 million by First 5 LA in spring 2020 to support families in our Best Start communities, and another $1 million by the Los Angeles County through the CARES Act in December.

PLN’s Best Start Initiative maintained their monthly meetings online through additional partnerships with Child360, T-Mobile US, Jamf and EBF Inc. Together they provided 600 iPads to create a virtual collaborative space so meetings could continue.

Our Project Innovations LA (PILA) teams managed the Community Ambassador Network, created by the Department of Mental Health, to educate communities on COVID-19 and link residents to resources for PPE, cleaning supplies, educational resources, and vaccines. Throughout downtown, East Los Angeles and Southeast Los Angeles, PLN was partnering with residents and organizations to support those who needed it most.

Community Impact


Over 32,000

Food boxes distributed through Best Start and Project Innovations L.A. efforts starting in March 2020 – and still going.

3,500+

Supplies for infants and toddlers to stay healthy and dry – diapers, wipes, and formula.

862

Residents virtually attended COVID-19 presentations by Community Ambassadors, to keep safe and informed

Pro·mo·to·r/a


Promotoras/es are community members who are familiar with the norms, language, and habits of the neighborhoods in which they live. They are specially trained in community organizing and health education to engage, support and strengthen relationships with parents, residents and agency representatives around health, education, system navigation and leadership development. They facilitate authentic and transformative relationships through their shared experiences within the communities they serve.

What We’ve Accomplished


Despite the additional challenges of the year, our strategic plan moved forward. In year three of our five-year plan, we continued to build our internal systems and refined our curriculum for greater program continuity of care.

In 2020-2021, PLN continued to build on our strategic plan work, here are some examples of the completed steps:

  • Articulated Para Los Niños’ Theory of Change, clearly defining the shared intended impact of all programs and departments to achieve the vision of PLN children and families. Defining this allows for the further development of aligned curriculum across all departments for a unified continuity of care.

Activities aligned to Program Goal 4: PLN leaders execute on an org-wide vision, implement aligned goals, and maintain a culture of compassion and excellence

• Produced the PLN Community Resident Engagement and Leadership Development Framework, a curriculum incorporating best practices from the field to ensure parents and families have the skills and resources necessary to create change in their children’s schools and in their local communities.

Activities aligned to Program Goal 2: PLN families and communities are engaged and empowered



• Leadership Training series executed virtually for all PLN leaders – including sessions on performance management, reflective practice, and organization budgets – building stronger more equipped leaders for power teams in all departments.

Activities aligned to System Goal 1: Leaders have what they need to lead effective, successful teams.

Where We Are Headed


Program Goals

1. Children and youth are physically, socially and emotionally healthy.

2. Families and communities are engaged and empowered.

3. Children and youth are developmentally and academically successful, and ready for the future.

4. Leaders execute on an organization-wide vision, implement aligned goals, and maintain a culture of compassion and excellence.

System Goals

1. Leaders have what they need to lead effective, successful teams.

2. Staff have what they need to provide excellent services.

3. Organization is financially thriving.

4. Stakeholders develop a clear growth plan.

By providing an excellent education from Pre-K through high school;
Building strong communities by recognizing families’ assets and developing them as change agents;
Promoting powerful families through support programs and comprehensive social, emotional,and communitybased services, and;
Para Los Niños will realize its vision of thriving children and youth.

Thank You to All Our Donors!


Donors from July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021

We appreciate the generous support from all the foundations, corporations, and individuals that make our work possible.

$250,000 and Over


Caruso Family Foundation
Gomez Family Trust
The Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation

$100,000 – $250,000


The Ahmanson Foundation
The Atlas Family Foundation
The Ballmer Group Philanthropy
Andrea and Blake Brown
The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
Ann and Robert Ronus
UnidosUS

$50,000 – $99,000


Anonymous
Allen Blue
The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
H Code Media
The Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation
The Rose Hills Foundation
Steinmetz Foundation
United Philanthropy Forum
The Walton Family Foundation, Inc.
WHH Philanthropy

$25,000- $49,000


Anonymous
Allen Blue
The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
H Code Media
The Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation
The Rose Hills Foundation
Steinmetz Foundation
United Philanthropy Forum
The Walton Family Foundation, Inc.
WHH Philanthropy

$15,000- $24,900


Anonymous x2
Anonymous
Constellation, an Exelon company
Delta Dental Community Care Foundation
The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation
Emquies Family Support Foundation
KROQ-FM
The Mark Hughes Foundation
Adria and Pedro Martí
MUFG Union Bank Foundation
Pathways LA
Pfaffinger Foundation
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
U.S. Bank
The Walt Disney Company

$10,000- $14,900


Albertsons Companies Foundation
Holly and Albert Baril
Lorraine P. and Joe Berchtold
Brentwood School
Kelly and Bill Burton
Caruso Employees
Kelvin and Hana Davis
First Republic Bank
Edwin and Cathleen Hession
Judith and Donald Katz
Marjorie and Steven Lewis
Los Angeles Water & Power Employees’ Association
The Louis L. Borick Foundation
The Minc Family Fund
Andrei Muresianu*
Bill Panzera
Beverly and Fredric Reichel
Rachel Fiset and Ronnie Roy
Sullivan Curtis Monroe Insurance Services, LLC
United Way of Greater Los Angeles
Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald Charitable Foundation
Aviva Weiner
WHH Foundation
William H. Hannon Foundation
Malin Wong and James Kissane

$5,000- $9,900


Arent Fox LLP
Gail and George Baril
The Carol and James Collins Foundation*
Alexander J. Caruso
CBS Media Ventures*
Karen Choi
Cotton On USA, Inc.*
Crane Fund for Widows and Children
Terry and Judy Crowley
Dutton Testamentary Trust
Susan and Scott Edelman*
Anna May and Tim Feige
Alene and Robert Gelbard
Bobby Green
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
GRIFOLS
Lynn and Craig Jacobson
Johnny Carson Foundation
KLM Foundation
Guy and Kendra Langer
Jamie and Rob Leff
Los Angeles Cold Storage Company
Lucille Ellis Simon Foundation
Cheryl Marino
Mary Ann and Murray McQueen*
The Melvoin Foundation
National Charity League Los Angeles
Netflix
Nickelodeon Studios
Jill and Mark Pan*
The Peter A. & Elizabeth S. Cohn Foundation
Rhino Entertainment
Rebecca and Matthew Rich*
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Share Family Donor Advised Fund
Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, LA County, First District
Southern California Grantmakers
Evan Strauss
Target
Kathy and Charles Toppino
Weingart Foundation
Cindy and Jake Winebaum
Peg Yorkin

$2,500- $4,900


Alperstein, Simon, Farkas, Gillin & Scott, LLP
Anonymous
The Benevity Community Impact Fund
Charter Communications
Becca and Jonathan Congdon
Friars Charitable Foundation
Michael L. Galindo
Glaser, Weil LLP
Sarajane and Zac Guevara
Harrison-Chevalier, Inc.
Lisa and Victor Kohn
Christina Lopez
Manufacturers Bank
Andrei Muresianu*
Sarah Wick and Robert Padnick
Pedro Pizarro
The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation
Laura Silva
Smallman Family Fund
Sarah Tuttle and Benjamin Kramer
Michelle and Wellesley Wild
The Willametta K. Day Foundation
Janini and Micheal Wunderman

$1,000- $2,500


Leticia Acosta
Jessica and Paul Allen
Laura Fry and Scott Altman
The American Heart Association
Dr. Andrew Charles
Anonymous x4
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Avalon Bay Communities, Inc.
Mike and Trish Berchtold
David Berman
Andrew E Bogen
Brandon Helgerson-Ortmeyer
Krysten A. Brennan
John P. Brincko and Debbie Brincko
Patricia Brody
Larry and Shelly Brown
LJ Brown
Madison Brown
Ca Fashion Association Community Development Foundation
Donna and Marc Caruso
Martha and Tim Catlin
City First Bank
Roy E. Crummer Foundation
Ms. Ellen Danna
Jonathan David
DCI Engineers
Nina L. Hachigian and Thomas Joseph Deegan-Day
Clare and Warren Dern
Tony and Christine Digiovanni
Lynda and Al Fadel
Gail and Michael Feuer
Gisela and Jeff Friedman
Naya Bloom and Drew Furedi
Gendler Teich Family Charitable Fund
Gloria Gerace and Thomas Mone
Ashley Lewis and Jim Gilio
Kathryn Girard and Susan Vogelfang
Claude Goldenberg
Patricia Gomez
Nicholas Grad
Hathaway Dinwiddie Construction Company
Michael and Tanya Heldman
JB Consulting Services LLC
Bill Johnson
The Kleiner Cohen Foundation
Robin Kramer
Las Vegas Raiders
Sandro Lazzarini
Gail Lees
The Gary and Katy Leff Family
Melissa and Peter Lopez
The Los Angeles Flower Market
Loyola High School of Los Angeles
Heather Powell and Joshua Ludmir*
Jeff Melvoin
Katie Mercer and Jorge Fernandez
Michael and Susan Horn Family Foundation
Vizhier Mooney
Janet and Patrick Moore
Greg and Maureen Morrison
John Ohanesian
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Eleanor and Glenn Padnick
Madhuri Parikh
Payden & Rygel
Simone and Patrick Purcell
QueensCare
Kamran Razavi
Mike Royce
Ruth & Sonny Singer Foundation
Wesley Scruggs
Lauren and Jeffrey Segal
Norma Silva
Socius Foundation
Steven and Laura Mayer Family Foundation
Divya and Satish Subramanian
Lisa and Mike Tan
Mimi and Jose Tejada
Carrie and Peter Tilton
Joan Velazquez
Fran and John Wasley
The Wonderful Company Foundation

$500- $999


Marlo D. Acosta and Edgar Villarreal
Sandra Aispuro
Kathleen F. Allen
Alex Amirkhanian
Jane and Harry Scheiber
Sarah Angel and Dan Nieman
Ellen and Steve Angel
Anonymous x4
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Arch Insurance Group Inc.
Brinah and Roy Bank
Kim and Roselyn Batcheller
Nancy Binder Gurney
Gigi Bloom
Janice Bradshaw and Christopher Kearley
Deanette R. Brewer
Cheryl Charles
Children’s Burn Foundation
Comcast NBCUniversal
Compass Cares
Corner Construction Co., Inc.
Anna Dezarn
Facebook Giving
Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
Sarah Figueroa-Freeman
Frontstream
Enrique Garcia
Gensler Los Angeles
Camille Gonzalez
Elissa Goodman and David Neale
Robert Grillo
Guaranteed Rate Inc
Happier Living
Andrew Herreria*
Mary Ann Hunt-Jacobsen
Robert W. Johnson
Tara Kissane
Zach Lasry
Paul McCaffery
Jessica McNicholas
Jan and Michael Meisel
Sonya Moreno
The Morrison & Foerster Foundation
Deena and Edward Nahmias
Jill and Andrew Nieman
Victoria Nourafchan and David Rosenstein
Anthony Pacheco
Jamie Parry
Chaz Perea
Linda and Lawrence Rauch
Gabriel Robles
Rosen Family
Elizabeth Saiger
Linda and Miguel Sandoval
Sarah Alexandra Schweitzman
Waqar Sheikh
Susan Shieldkret and David Dull
Karen and Joel Singer
Gretchen and Charles Sippial
Sara Smith and Vince Sieber
Darrel C. Spacone, bCRE
Michael Swartz
Synchrony
Riyoko Tanaka
The TCW Group, Inc.
Allison Thomas
Joanne Valli-Meredith and Glen Meredith
John Walsh
Thelma Waxman
Jessica and Gil Weisblum
Mary Westbrook
Winebaum Family Foundation
David Zebrack

$250- $499


5B Events
Joni Angel and Justin Seidner
Anonymous x3
Anonymous
Anonymous
Cecilia Ball
Carie and Josh Bloom
Elizabeth Cabral
Angela Capone
Nikos and Kimberly Carli
Kelley and Eric Coleman
Mariano Melendez and Elena Cortez
Eric Haas and Chava Danielson
Mr. Mark David
Wes Dooley Jr.
Michelle Alexandra Doran
Michele Dumont
Edison International Employee Contributions Campaign
EdTec Inc.
Anne Ferree
Fibernetics
Gemelli Restaurant Partners LP
Linda Gersh
Judith and Joseph Golden
Harvey B. Goldstein
Joy and Javier Gonzalez
Mark L. Hamilton
Judi and Arnie Herrmann
Jacobsma Law
Sudharsan Kannan
Randall H. Kennon
Alan Klein
Marsha Barr Levin
Thomas T. Luong
Fred Manaster
Mathew Robert Troncao
Jane and Howard Matz
Shelley McEwan
Swati Mehta
Melisse Two Partners LLC
Eddi Ortiz
Carmen Aurora Ortiz
Candida Piaggi
Katherine and Peter Rabinov
Rebecca Reber
Ryan Robledo
and Maria Ines Rodriguez
Prof. Jeffrey Rosensweig
Neilson Ross
James Rothman
Joseph Sassone
Josephine Schorlemer
Charlie Steinmetz
United Way California Capital Region
Upward Roots
Rachel Vogel
Sondra and Norman Weinstock
Barbara B. Widdess
Daniel P. Wingerning
Arturo Yanez

$100- $249


Solomon Abdella
Amazon Smile
Natalie Amirieh
Matthew K. Anderson
Thomas Angell
Celeste Anlauf
Anonymous x5
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous x9
Claudio Arias
Tom Aronson
Lori Baas
Jeff and Millie Baird
Katherine Balatbat
Sharon Berg
Sherry Berg
Paul Blodgett
Lonna Bloom
Carolyn and Jim Brain
Paula Brown
Gabriela Cardenas
Emmy Cattani
Elena Cervantes
Charcoal Venice Partners LLC
Trenton Cohen
Clark Construction Group
Alicia Corona
Cameron Crosby
Rachel Decker-Sadowski
Denise DeSantis
Jefferson Dickson
Toni Digiovanni
Marianne Dozier
DriveWise Auto, Inc.
DSH // architecture
Kate DuFine
Cheryl Englehart
Hilda Escobar
Phillip Eskenazi
Paul Furedi
Judi and Neil Gader
Natalia Garcia
Guzman Translation & Interpreting
Rob and Beth Healy
Sharon Hearn
Ken Hertz
Jane Hinton
Irene Ho
Lauren Ivester
Candida Jacinto
Robin and Gary Jacobs
Justin Jacobson
Wendy Jacobson
Cristina Jaime
Lida Jennings
Bret Jonas
Dave Jones
Sam Joo
Elizabeth and Nicandro Juarez
Lisa Kanter
Maureen Kennedy McCormick
Wendy Klein
Elizabeth Knight
Ani Konialian
Jacob Koskoff
Alex LaCasse
Jason Lamin
Karla Lara
Kari Lauritzen
Christopher Lee
Ellenand Sol Liebster
L’Ermitage Foundation
Sheri Linzell
Martha Longley and Warren Entner
Jonathan Lopez
Emily Lopez
Lramwrites (Ramirez Productions)
Seng Ly
Becky Ma
Christina Mariscal Pasten
Delmy Martinez
Peter McGoldrick
Kevin McMenemy
Gloria and Arthur Mehlman
Eloise Metcalfe
Liliana Monge
Ann Mortimer
Veronica and Robert Navarro
Network For Good
Diana and Baird Nielsen
Pacific Life Foundation
Gamaliel Padilla
Nancy Perez
Gloria and John Perrodin
Lupe and Ronald Pollak
Ted Polychronis
Jon Pynoos and Elyse Salend
Laura Riley
Cesar Rocha
Jazmin Rodriguez
Roberto Rosas
Christine and Charles Sabatino
Christian Santizo
Blair Schlecter
Alexis Schwab
Martine Singer
Smart & Final Charitable Foundation
Jamie Smith
St. Paul the Apostle Seniors Ministry
Judi Stadler
Ilene Stadler
Suzanne and Marc Stein
Susan Sterling and Edward Myers
Josh Tohl
Carla Torres
Marilyn Tucker
James Ugobono
Maribel Valderrama
Emily Vicente
Maria Victoria R. Cavarlez
Lori Von Kapff
Richard Wallace
Jake Weissberg
Richard J. Welch
Thom Wise
Mathew Yohannan

Under $100


Mary Schultz
Henry Banegas
Karla M. Alvarez
Yanira Lianoz
David Stern
Ding Kong
Kimberly Wasiljew
Michele Beilke
Ollin Santos
Josue A. Beltrami
Maritza Segundina Torres Hernandez
Arch Capital Group
Charles and Jan Davis Charitable Fund
Mary Madrid
Mary Ann and Carlos Sanchez
Gustavo Lopez
Alicia Granados
Andy Estib Beltrami
303 Network
Aaron Ky-Riesenbach
Alex Gardels
Amy Getchel and Roupen Puzantian
and ELizabeth Wilson
Andrea N. Gibson
Anonymous
Barbara and Robert Scheibel
Brenda Aguilera
Carlos Arceo
Cathleen Lee
Cydny Rothe and Roy Kushel
David Whitehead
Deena Mangrum
Diana Bertha Rodriguez
Donald Queen
Elizabeth Rhoades
Emily Gamarra
George Silva
Gloria Toledo
Hans Hagenmayer CRS, CRB
Isidro Armenta
Jesse Bloom
Jo Ellen Simon
Julio Matamoros
Kathleen Yoshimi
Kylie Veys
Luz Castellanos
LynnDee Ronlov
Marianne and Ronald Furedi
Marilyn Hopkins
Mr. Lenin Arias
Ms. Haven Alexander
Punita Khanna
Robert L. Kehr
Sam Morrissey
Sandra and Harry Meeker
Sandra Martin
Sandy Olalde
Sara Brenner
Shane Wilson
Shay Kelly Memorial
Simon Pulido
Suzanne Stimson
Sylvia Watson and Isabelle Zimmerman
Tamra Raven and Aaron Steinberg
Tina Hopkins
Veronica Torrejon
Victoria Fleming
Yamileth Villanueva
Pledgeling Foundation
Todd D. Osborn
Rafael Guirado
Mimi Paller and Ian Gordon
The GoodCoin Foundation
BG SM20 LLC dba Socalo
Ruth and Dean Goodman
Kevin Smith
Diana Cervantes
Edgar Rodriguez
Joshua Libni Aguilar
Allison and Tom Musante
Ana Moreno
Anonymous
Anonymous
Barbara Chavez
Bill Taylor
Blanca Medrano
Cristian Quintanilla
David Nicholson
Denise Serrette
Diana Pineda
Gordana Ognjanovic
Hannah Gansen
Heather Mnuchin
Herlinda H. Jacques and Veronica J. Haro
James Vallejo
Jennifer Wilson
Josephine M. Rodrigs
Jude Enriquez
Judith and Neil O’Hanlon
Julie Greenman
Kyle Raum
Lourdes Gomez
Marisa Shipley
Mark Johnson
Marta Miyares
Matthew Bobb
Michelle Hovsepyan
MJ Aispuro
Ms. Christina Cantero
Nancy Peters
Ruth and Jay Sugerman
Sarah Abdelmiseh
Sharon Montesano
Stacey Lubliner
Vance Grosser
Ignacio Gonzalez
Jeannine Roson
Margarita Arroyo
Elisa and Ricardo J. Ramirez
Ana Vidaurri
Bianca Page
John Silva
Sonia Macias
Ellie Hill
Carlos Vasquez
Caron Pelton

Join the Para Los Niños Futuro Family


Looking ahead to the next 40 years, we have established the Para Los Niños Futuro Family. This is a group composed of generous and forward-thinking donors who will support our long-term success through a planned gift. It’s easy to do, and donors of all varieties are welcome!

There are creative and flexible giving options that can benefit you and the future of PLN. Donating real estate, stocks, or other assets in lieu of regular payments naming Para Los Niños as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, or gifting other liquid or non-liquid assets, can also offer generous tax benefits. Ensure the sustainability of our organization in a way that makes your core values known to others.

Consult with your financial advisor to discuss your options, and contact us at futurofamily@paralosninos.org to learn more. Your support of our mission will be long remembered and serve as an inspiration to others.

In-kind Donors


We are able to provide even more for our children, youth, and families thanks to the incredibly generous gifts of our donors in-kind.

Each new student receives a new backpack full of supplies, toys and books are available for children at distributions of food and cleaning supplies, warm clothing and coats are given to children in need, masks are offered at all sites for staff and families – all and more are made possible through the thoughtful gifts from those listed here, and the many who prefer to be anonymous. Thank you!
Alexander Wang New York
Amazon Logistics
Arch Insurance Group Inc.
ASM Global
Assistance League of Los Angeles
Lorraine P. and Joe Berchtold
Blood, Sweat and Butter
Caruso Employees
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
Cotton On USA, Inc.
Calvin DeHesa
Cristina and Gilbert Dominguez
The Draycott
Susan and Scott Edelman
Everafter
Ella Fitzgerald Foundation
Fleur Marché
Mary Fontamillas-Rohrer
Ford Motor Company
HomeState
human-I-T
JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE
Judith and Donald Katz
Sarah Tuttle and Ben Kramer
Los Angeles Police Department
Marjorie and Steven Lewis
Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Cold Storage Company
Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation
Los Angeles Football Club
The Los Angeles Kings
Lyft
Magic Castle
Malibu Beach Inn
Microsoft HOLA SoCal Employee
Resource Group
Myrosa Enterprises
Necessaire Inc
Netflix Employees
Olive & June
Pango Group
Paul Hastings Employees
Ana Ponce
PRP Wine International
Jennifer Janofsky Ralls
Rhino Records Employees
SOMOS La Familia LA Dodgers
Employee Resource Group South Bay Ford Lincoln
STAPLES Center
SurelyWell
Sarah Tuttle and Benjamin Kramer
Two Bit Circus
Vincenti Ristorante
Malin Wong and James Kissane
WSP USA Employee Resource Group

2020 – 2021 Financials



Janet’s Story


Janet came to PLN three years ago when her daughter was just five months old. She needed help with child care so she could work and provide for her family. Janet loved that Mary Jane formed strong bonds with her teachers and that the school was so welcoming with resources for Janet as well.

When Janet became pregnant with her son, PLN was there for her when Roberto was born premature and had to have a number of surgeries. Teachers checked in daily on Janet and made sure that Mary Jane had materials at home to support her development and keep her learning, while mom had to care for Roberto 24/7.

In 2020, the pandemic closed the early education centers, but teachers and staff still found ways to keep the family on track: sending home toys, books, and ordering the special formula Roberto required.

There were times that Roberto and Janet were both in the hospital, and PLN would work with Janet to ensure Mary Jane could cope. She had become very emotional about her mom and about her brother’s health, so PLN worked with Janet to provide books and handouts on managing her feelings. Furthermore, thanks to PLN’s integrated model, they enrolled Mary Jane in therapy.

Now Roberto is back in the classroom and Janet has seen great strides in his development. “I was concerned with his eating, but the teachers have a rapport with him. I notice by the way they care for my kid. They have a way to make him feel comfortable, and he’s now eating on his own.”

Having grown up in the foster care system, Janet didn’t have family or a network of support in her life. PLN became that family. “They are my village,” Janet says of the teachers and staff. “I always feel comfortable asking for support. PLN really cares and goes the extra mile.

“PLN really cares and goes the extra mile.”

– Janet, PLN Mom

“Because PLN is such an intersectional organization where initiatives are layered and comprehensive, there’s something for everyone. Once you’re in, you don’t want to leave because there are so many opportunities. Every year, including the past year, I see how we’ve grown our potential for true, lasting impact. There’s no other organization like ours that does it all – schools, mental health and community services.”

– Isabel Cueva, Director of Special Education at Para Los Niños Charter Schools

Board of Directors


Marjorie Ehrich Lewis, Chair
Retired Partner
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

Cathy Hession, Vice Chair
President & Executive Director
The Carol and James Collins Foundation

Ronnie Roy, Secretary
Partner
DME Law LLP

Sandra Aispuro
VP Branch Manager
City First Bank

Lorraine Prieto Berchtold
Advisory Council Member
Common Sense Media,
Los Angeles

Bill Burton
President & Founder
Bryson Gillette

Rick J. Caruso (Emeritus)
Chief Executive Officer
Caruso Affiliated

Susan Edelman
Retired
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Jim Gilio
Partner
Sloane, Offer, Weber, and Dern, LLP

Andrew Herreria
Senior VP, Global HR
CBS Studios

Benjamin Kramer
C-Head, CAA Media Finance
Creative Artists Agency

Josh Ludmir
Associate
Greenburg Traurig, LLP

Pedro J. Martí
Managing Director, Private Wealth Advisor
Rockefeller Capital Management

Murray McQueen
President
Tribune Real Estate Holdings, LLC

Andrei Muresianu
Vice President
Capital World Investors

Mark Pan
General Manager
Cotton On USA, Inc
Walter F. Parkes
Producer
Parkes + MacDonald Productions

Rebecca Rich
Chief of Staff to the CEO
Teach for All

Gabriel Robles
Managing Director
First Republic Bank

Jose A. Tejada
VP of Mortgage Lending
Guaranteed Rate

John Wasley
Senior Managing Director and Head of U.S. Search
Ferguson Partners

Cindy Winebaum
Co-Chair Grant Screening Committee
Women Helping Youth

Malin Wong
Director
Guggenheim Partners Investment Management, LLC

Executive Team


Drew Furedi Ed.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer

Deanette Brewer
Vice President of Human Resources

Angela Capone Ph.D.
Vice President of Early Education

Sarah Figueroa-Freeman Ed.D.
Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

Camille Gonzalez
Chief Financial Officer

Sam Joo
Vice President of Student and Community Services

Dan Nieman
Vice President of External Affairs

“I am thankful for Para Los Niños: a beacon of hope with a unified mission to support our most vulnerable children and their families. PLN’s work to uplift educational and comprehensive social-emotional services has helped to build strong communities, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to our continued work together.”

– Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District

Get Involved


We can’t do this work alone – it takes the partnership of dedicated staff and volunteers each year, and strategic investments, to empower our children, youth, and families to succeed. Please join us!

One

You Can Donate

Invest in the lives of over 10,000 children, youth, and families.

Para Los Niños provides: Education to children as young as six-weeks old; Power to families navigating stress, systematic oppression, and generational poverty, and; Strength to communities organizing to build more vibrant, safe, and healthy neighborhoods.

Two

You Can Volunteer

Para Los Niños welcomes volunteers from corporations, community groups, colleges and schools. Help us support children and families by giving your time for a few hours, or on a regular basis – weekly or monthly. Volunteers can help with mentoring, tutoring, college application assistance, athletics coaching, and administrative tasks.

Three

Join Our Team

We are always in search of dedicated, experienced professionals who value making a difference in the lives of children, youth and families.

“We are honored to support the mission of Para Los Niños and its community, as we believe in the power of education and opportunities to help all children realize their dreams. As a family, we prioritize giving back to our communities. This ensures greater equality and leads to advancement and success.”

– The Baril Family, Para Los Niños volunteers, and long-time supporters

Para Los Niños Partners


For over forty years, Para Los Niños has built relationships with organizations, corporations, and fellow non-profits to enrich the lives of our PLN families, but also the greater Los Angeles community. Some of these partnerships are decades long, others are nascent, but together we believe in the potential of children, youth, and families, and together, we make Los Angeles a better place for all.

In 2020, these partnerships were more vital than ever to develop meaningful experiences for students, families, and volunteers. Throughout the year, virtual mentors and readers joined students, parties were held with shared activities on screen, and partners showed up in person to deliver needed supplies, books, and their time.

Albertsons
Amazon
Arch Insurance
Brentwood School
CAA / Ben Kramer
Camp Harmony
Cartoon Network / Warner Bros
Caruso
Cold Storage
Cooper Building
Cotton On
DCI Engineers
Dodgers Latino Employee Resource Group
Cristina Dominguez
The Ella Fitzgerald Foundation
Friars Charitable Foundation
FX / Nick Grad
Gibson Dunn
Gray Space Inc / Jen Ralls
Harvard Westlake
Hunton Williams
KIECC Early Childhood Center
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Police Department
Loyola High School of Los Angeles
Microsoft HOLA Employee Group
National Charity League
Netflix
O’Melveny & Meyers
Oracle
Pango Group
Paul Hastings
Rhino Records
St. Paul the Apostle Elementary School
Team Provident / Hans Hagenmayer
United Talent Agency
Vedder Price
Whittier Woodworkers
WSP

“National Charity League, Los Angeles has partnered with Para Los Niños for nearly a decade, investing together in the success of our community. The NCL and PLN missions to promote opportunities for families go hand in hand. We are especially motivated by the meaningful, hands-on experiences our mother/daughter membership is offered by working with PLN—we grow just as much as the children and youth we serve.”


– Suzanne Boone, Executive Director, National Charity League

Accreditations and Supporters


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