Quality of Life Center, Inc.

The Quality of Life Center, Inc., a charitable, community based non-profit agency, was established in 2004. The specific purpose of the agency is to institute programs that will educate urban communities on the availability of assistance to low-income, at risk youth and families residing in the Altadena, Pasadena and surrounding areas. The Quality of Life Center, Inc.'s mission is to develop and manage centers with multi-cultural programs and services designed to ensure that opportunities for success are equally shared by all participants with a desire to improve their quality of life. Through Art and Education we reach out to our youth and our communities. Quality of Life Center, Inc. programs mark a bold departure from traditional guidance programming. Through innovative instruction and individualized attention, youth travel a road to success that begins with believing in themselves and never giving up on the fact that success is yours for the taking. Though our programs somewhat defy the norm, they are now "nationally acclaimed" and have proven to be extremely successful in meeting the needs and providing youth an opportunity to prove to themselves that honesty and hard work can and will bring about positive life changes. Many of our youth programs address: youth who are dropping out of school, depressed, some with no sense of self worth, and others turning to the "streets" for love and understanding. Some are trapped in situations in which they have had no chance to follow their dream. "If we don't help them, who will? Our nationally esteemed Bright Futures Scholars program participants are brilliant scholars with extremely high GPA&'s. Quality of Life Center programs are designed to assist the young, enabling them to become productive citizens, build self esteem, dream and then conquer their most "impossible" dream. Without programs such as the ones offered in the Quality of Life Center, Inc., one out of every three low-income minority students attending high school will drop-out before earning a diploma (2005 PUSD Statistic). Most will not be encouraged to return to school, nor offered pre-training to become marketable in corporate America. Many students, even young scholars, if coming from low-income families will not have an opportunity to reach their full potential and scores of juvenile first offenders will be placed in the justice system. Much of our programming depends on community support. We are proud to say that our programs are endorsed by community leaders who see the value in what is being accomplished to direct positive changes in the future of our communities. The National Education Association (NEA), as well as many surrounding school districts, plan to foster pilot programs using Quality of Life Center Inc. components in 2008. At the Quality of Life Center, we have an opportunity to service families with many different needs. We will strive not only to meet the needs but to eliminate the problems causing the need. The Quality of Life Center will continue to make every effort to assist the youth, young adults and families in low income at-risk communities by providing services that improve the quality of life for all.