LIVEDream Center Crisis Relief
Dream Center programs aim to meet the basic needs of the surrounding community and support vulnerable families in their transition toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Every month, over half a million pounds of food gets distributed to various communities through Dream Center programs such as Foster Care Intervention, Food Truck outreach, and the Carey Kitchen, as well as through other service-led organizations partnering with our food pantry. Additionally, we are now actively responding to the need caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
City of Los Angeles
In what stage of innovation is this project?
Expand existing program
If you are submitting a collaborative proposal, please describe the specific role of partner organizations in the project.
Not collaborating.
What is the need you’re responding to?
History has shown that some of the greatest contributors to our society were at some point given help to survive with hope for a better life. The Dream Center has provided that help and hope to the most vulnerable children and families in Los Angeles since our inception in 1994. Everything we have done and will continue to do to help is driven by our commitment to “Find a need and fill it, find a hurt and heal it.”
Our programs meet the basic needs of the community and support vulnerable families in their transition toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Every month, over half a million pounds of food gets distributed to various communities through Dream Center programs such as Foster Care Intervention, Food Truck outreach, and the Carey Kitchen, and through other partnering organizations.
Today, we ask for emergency support in the form of a General Operating grant to help further our mission to respond to the current health and economic crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why is this project important to the work of your organization?
The Dream Center measures its impact in this capacity by counting the number of individuals in need that have access to our resources. In the surrounding neighborhood of Service Planning Area 4, approximately 228,148 or residents under age 17 are in close proximity to access to our pantry and kitchen (as identified by LACounty.gov). While serving anyone in need, we specifically target low-to-moderate income families with children and families experiencing homelessness.
A conservative estimate for the number of underserved children we positively impact is a multiple of the 8,166 households identified in SPA 4 to have students (at least one) eligible for free or reduced-price meals in public schools. Nevertheless, we work to impact other surrounding Service Planning Areas through food distribution to 21 other sites across Los Angeles county. Again, we are doing all this in addition to our flagship residential programs.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this proposal?
Direct Impact: 30,000
Indirect Impact: 50,000
Please describe the broader impact of your proposal.
The Dream Center measures its impact in this capacity by counting the number of individuals in need that have access to our resources. In the surrounding neighborhood of Service Planning Area 4 (SPA 4), approximately 228,148 or residents under age 17 are in close proximity to access our pantry and kitchen (as identified by the “Supplement to Community Health Assessment” published by LACounty.gov). Though Dream Center food outreach/relief programs are accessible as a resource to the entire population of LA County, we specifically target low-to-moderate income families with children and families experiencing homelessness.
Please explain how you will define and measure success for your project.
We measure success by the number of individuals and families we are able to serve.
Those individuals and families in desperate need of programs and services come from many different backgrounds and locations but, through our programs, are equally and indiscriminately able to benefit from the kind of life-stabilizing support necessary for restoration, recovery, employment readiness and social reintegration with positive contributions to the community. Our general operating expenses provide housing, clothing, food, hygiene products, mentorship, and case management with access to community service opportunities, work experience, and our Adult Education program for GED attainment, financial literacy, and development of other life skills.
Which of the LIVE metrics will your submission impact?
Food insecurity
Older adult well-being
Homelessness
Are there any other LA2050 goal categories that your proposal will impact?
LA is the healthiest place to CONNECT
Which of LA2050’s resources will be of the most value to you?
Access to the LA2050 community
Host public events or gatherings
Communications support
Capacity, including staff
Strategy assistance and implementation