Lifting Youth Up Drop-In Center

Youth economic advancement

Central LA

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Following new leadership in 2023, Aviva conducted a community assessment to better serve local needs. A key finding was the urgent need for services for homeless transitional-aged youth (TAY), as Hollywood has one of the highest TAY populations in Los Angeles County. These TAY face housing instability due to family issues, economic hardship, and limited resources. Mental health and substance use challenges further hinder their ability to access stable housing and employment. Though local organizations offer vital services, demand exceeds supply. Many TAY have experienced severe trauma, making trust and engagement difficult. Aviva addresses this through trauma-informed, harm reduction approaches, prioritizing trust-building and individualized care. Since opening in October 2025, the growing demand at our Lifting Youth Up Drop-In Center (LYU-DIC) underscores the critical need for expanded TAY services.

Aviva transformed our former high school into the LYU-DIC to support TAY, ages 16-25, and promote safety in the greater Hollywood area. Located at our headquarters, the LYU-DIC centralizes access to essential services, removing common barriers for vulnerable TAY. Since opening in October 2024, the LYU-DIC has addressed urgent needs—meals, hygiene, transportation—while also connecting youth to physical, mental, and social health care, as well as educational and job readiness programs.

Open Monday-Friday from 3 to 9 p.m. and on weekends, the LYU-DIC is the only center in Hollywood offering extended hours, while other local youth centers close at 5 p.m. The LYU-DIC provides unhoused TAY a respite from living on the streets of Hollywood while connecting them with resources to move toward stability and self-sufficiency.

At the LYU-DIC, TAY can access essential services, such as showers, laundry, hot meals, medical mobile clinics, job search support, peer and mentor connections, and more. Thanks to partners, TAY also receive biweekly food donations, hygiene supplies, interview clothing, and support services including: housing and healthcare assistance, substance use treatment, transportation vouchers, education advancement, and even veterinary care. Our Zen Room offers a quiet, restorative space for individuals exhausted from life on the streets, providing a place to rest, recharge, and regain a sense of stability.

The LYU-DIC has the potential to create lasting, transformative change across Los Angeles county. By going beyond immediate needs, the LYU-DIC will provide a safe, welcoming space where youth can build trust, find community, and access critical resources. Many TAY face behavioral health and substance use challenges and connecting them to comprehensive on-site mental health care will be a game changer. These services will help youth begin healing, regain stability, and develop these tools needed to build healthy, independent lives. As more TAY gain access to consistent support, we can interrupt the cycles of homelessness, trauma, and poverty that too often define their lives. Over time, this investment in TAY will ripple outward—reducing strain in public systems, strengthening communities, and reshaping the future of Los Angeles County into one where all youth, regardless of their past, have a real chance to thrive.