CREATEIt's Giving Equality
It's Giving Equality through direct grocery card payments for food justice, job/career resource workshops, bridging the technology divide training, monthly transit passes, DMV ID vouchers, and interim housing to those who are living under the California poverty line and have been incarcerated.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Opportunities for People Who Have Been Incarcerated
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
Central LA
South LA
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?
Former incarcerated people face numerous challenges including stigma, discrimination, isolation, and instability. Almost 2/3 of them are arrested again within 3 years. Barriers to successfully re-entering society include having little access to education, limited job opportunities, ineligible for public benefits, public housing and student loans. Their college applications are rejected at higher rates than their peers without records. Our gap between high and low income families is among the largest in the nation. Income is often not enough to meet basic needs with the average family of 4 requiring about $37k. Rising income inequality is driven by a job market that favors highly educated workers, and Black and Latino families are overrepresented at lower income levels. Homelessness also continues to grow: nationally, California has topped the list for the state with the largest homeless population for more than a decade. Lastly, 1 in 5 people in LA County experiences food insecurity.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
It's Giving Equality will provide 100 DMV ID vouchers, and 100 monthly transportation passes to people who are formerly incarcerated seeking re-entry assistance. Monthly job resource workshops and bridging the technology divide training will also be provided. Previously incarcerated people will receive assistance finding and applying for jobs and training programs or college for positions that hire people with a criminal record, and will learn basic computer skills, how to create a Word doc, spreadsheet, LinkedIn account, and positive social media presence. We will also provide a total of 12 monthly interim housing vouchers, and 200 food cards worth $100 each to anyone experiencing income inequality.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
Our vision is to nurture and support hope, education, excellent character, a safe and secure community free from the trappings of illiteracy. Embracing and defending the honor, integrity and overall welfare of the human disposition. It's Giving Equality is a pilot program. Should it be well received with positive measurable outcomes, we hope to continue it with alternative funding for the next 3 years.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
It's Giving Equality is a pilot program tracked and measured by outcomes-based evaluations through participation, data collection, and performance to include but not limited to: Demographics of participant Number of vouchers/direct payments/cards issued to assist partipant and the successful outcome it supports Number of workshops and trainings provided Number of successful employment/training programs/college applications
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 600
Indirect Impact: 1,200