Our

Impact


We believe that all children, youth, and families should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. No one should be held back based on their income, immigration status, home language, or zip code.



18,401

Hours of mental health sessions for children, youth, and families

96%

Of children going into kindergarten achieved all school readiness benchmarks

71,902

Pad hours of internships by youth building their careers

10%

Increase in 7th grade math results at our Charter Middle School

$86,000+

Distributed to families at risk of losing their home

10,000+

Children, youth, and families served annually

We have locations across Los Angeles offering education, empowerment, and strength for families and communities.


Parent

“Para Los Niños has become the center of our lives. All three of my daughters have been in the PLN schools. They gave my kids the education and confidence they will need to go on to college and build successful lives.”

– Josephina, PLN Parent

Alumni

“Without PLN, some of my Skid Row friends joined gangs, some of them went to prison, a couple of them are dead. PLN changed and saved lives, including my own.”

– Ralph, PLN Alumni

Rachel’s Story


Growing up on Skid Row, Rachel remembers not being able to go outside. Her playground was the halls of the hotel where she lived with her mother and brother.

She didn’t know that other kids had parks, or ate three times a day, or didn’t have to avoid the shared bathroom at night in case of a potentially dangerous situation.

She did know that when a woman knocked on their door sharing about a new place for kids in her area to learn and play, Rachel wanted to go. After convincing her mom, Rachel and her brother joined one of the first classes at Para Los Niños.

From that first day, “Everything changed,” says Rachel. For the first time ever, she had a fun, stable and safe space to do homework, play with friends, color with crayons, and play with toys; a place where she was guaranteed to eat at least two meals a day.

She especially cherished the opportunities to take ballet lessons, learn how to ride a bike and even go on her first and only overnight camping trip to Griffith Park—experiences that weren’t readily accessible to low-income, inner-city kids at the time. It was there that she learned to play board games, went camping, and had her first birthday party.

More consequentially, she also learned she had dyslexia and staff worked with Rachel and her mom to manage and develop a life-long love of books. More than all of that though, Para Los Niños helped her learn to trust.

Now a mom herself, Rachel firmly believes the skills and relationships she built at PLN established the foundation for the successful, fulfilled life she has today. Knowing that such an intervention can help transform lives, she is now committed to finding ways to give back.

Incredibly, Rachel is just one of tens of thousands of Los Angelenos whose lives were changed through PLN over these past four decades.

Join our mission!


There are numerous ways to be a part of helping children, youth, and families thrive. Learn more about how you can join our work today.

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