PLAYIncrease Community Safety in the San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley needs public classroom space and mentors who will target the needs voted upon by this grant. The SFV-LGBTQ seeks to establish a Center where we will give free community seminars for: 1. Whistle Defense Program - Create a Greenspace community alarm system making it safer to spend time in the park knowing there is an alarm system. 2. Small business Seminars to help decrease income inequality by partnering with LGBTQ Chamber to create businesses. 3. Hold Immigration workshops for those in need. 4. Host a health Bus.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Community Safety
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
San Fernando Valley
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Pilot or new project, program, or initiative
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
Due to uncertainty in social media, and news reporting, a great distrust has grown among people. We need to come back together in person, to learn together, grow together and to care for one another. We cannot overcome the distrust until we spend time with each other overcoming common community problems. We need a Safe Gathering space. Right now, no where in the San Fernando Valley does there exist safe space for the LGBTQ Community. We need a community center that has the classroom space to institute these programs that can help to unit the community. All of the types of class we are seeking to address are at their core public safety, but the also deal with wealth inequality which disproportionately affects the LGBTQ Community. We need spaces that everyone in the community can be safe.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
By obtaining funding to establish a physical community center with open classroom space, there is an opportunity to collaborate with other community organizations who are needed space to present seminars, and workshops, particularly with the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, and Buen Vecinos an immigration support network, along with many others to hold safe space so we can grow as a community. It is critical that we meet each other in person and begin to connect and care about each other. 1. First Project is to provide a Whistle Defense Program to each of our major parks and green areas. People would be supplied with whistles and basic safety training so that when people are in the parks or rec spaces, they know help is just a whistle away. 2. We are able to build upon the relationship we already have with the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce to hold small business seminars. 3. Having a large meeting space as our community center will enable us to host various organizations which provide fee health services such as Aids Healthcare Foundation, along with the Free Clinic system.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
We will begin to change the public perception that the San Fernando Valley is a long lost and forgotten step child in LA County. We need the focus of services, and community connection for the sake of all of our health, safety and welfare.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
We will keep surveys for each activity planned. We plan weekly activities around community safety, engagement and learning. The number of people completing the course should reflect lowering of crime in green spaces which we can measure. We will also be able to watch through the health department drops in contagious disease within the community by hosting community health days, and we expect also to see an increase in the number of small business applications that are filed in our community along with increased membership to the chamber of commerce.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 2,080
Indirect Impact: 10,000