Local Nonprofits We Love to Support

Los Alamitos is home to some of the most generous and philanthropic people around; thus, it only follows that Los Alamitos is also home to some of the best nonprofits in the area. This article will focus on some of the most prolific nonprofits in the area and the good they are providing for the […]

16 Jun 2017

Los Alamitos is home to some of the most generous and philanthropic people around; thus, it only follows that Los Alamitos is also home to some of the best nonprofits in the area. This article will focus on some of the most prolific nonprofits in the area and the good they are providing for the community. We at Sunset proudly support all these organizations, and we encourage you to read up on them and get involved if you are not already.

 

Casa Youth Shelter

Casa Youth Shelter is a nonprofit organization that offers emergency temporary shelter for homeless, runaway, and abandoned youth. Their mission is to provide a supportive environment so that the youth they assist can recover and redevelop personal strength in hopes of ultimately reuniting with their family. Myldred E. Jones opened Casa Youth Shelter in 1978 with a minimal budget and only one full-time employee, but the organization now has twelve beds in six bedrooms with a number of caring employees. Besides providing shelter for distressed youth, the organization also offers counseling, outreach to schools, youth leadership programs, and parenting classes. Below is an infographic with Casa Youth Shelter’s statistics from 2014, and it is clear to see the good this nonprofit is providing to the Los Alamitos area – this organization has truly come a long way since its opening in 1978. Here is the link for Casa Youth Shelter’s website if you are interested in donating or volunteering: http://www.casayouthshelter.org/

casa youth shelter

Los Alamitos Youth Center

The Youth CenterThe Youth Center looks to positively impact children through social, educational, and recreational programs. The Youth Center has developed partnerships throughout the Los Alamitos community with organizations like the Los Alamitos Unified School District, Rossmoor Community Service District, Seal Beach Lions and Leos Club, and many more – this means that many of the largest and most impactful events in the community have close ties to the Youth Center. In 1952, Frank Vessels, the Los Alamitos Race track entrepreneur, applied to the State of California for an additional race day and then used those funds to open the Youth Center. The Youth Center now continues to provide various programs and benefit to the community through donations from local individuals and businesses. Here is the link to the Youth Center’s website if you are interested in donating or volunteering: http://www.theyouthcenter.org/

 

Precious Life Shelter

Precious Life Shelter provides a safe environment for pregnant women with no place to live. Precious Life Shelter’s three step program provides various means of support which then allows these women to safely have their child, while simultaneously teaching them to become self-sufficient. The goal is not only to help these women in their time of crisis, but also to ensure that they are prepared for the responsibilities that come with life after childbirth. The program opened in 1989 and has since expanded, developing new programs and adding property to better support those women in need. Precious Life Shelter also operates a Thrift and Gift shop in which they sell extra donations not used by the residents and raise enough money to cover about 40% of the organization’s operating costs. Precious Life Center is another great nonprofit that has come a long way in supporting the Los Alamitos and surrounding communities. Here is the link for Pathways’ website if you are interested in donating or volunteering: http://pathwaystoindependence.org/

 

NCL

NCLNational Charity League or NCL is a mother-daughter philanthropic organization focuses on community service, leadership development, and cultural experiences. The organization formed in 1947 after two groups, one started in 1925 by a small group of women in Los Angeles and the other by their daughters in 1938, merged to create the first mother-daughter philanthropic organization. We are especially tied to the South Coast chapter of the National Charity League which is based in the Long Beach and West Orange County areas with most junior members attending Los Alamitos schools. The chapter supports philanthropies with hands-on service as well as monetary donations raised from their thrift shop, Miss Charity’s Attic, located on Cerritos Avenue, and their popular event Tournament Day, held every fall.  Here is the link to the South Coast division of NCL if you are interested in donating or volunteering: https://southcoast.nationalcharityleague.org/

 

WE CARE

WE CARE pools the resources of the community in order to meet the emergency needs of families and individuals. WE CARE offers emergency, referral, therapy, healthcare, and holiday services to ensure families in need can remain healthy and happy. Listed below are a few statistics showing how many people were helped by WE CARE from 2015 – 2017:

  • Food Distribution– 456 families/2,280 individuals were given 7,000 bags=140,000 lbs.
  • Hygiene/Personal Care– 275 families/1,375 individuals were given personal hygiene kits.
  • Food Certificates/Gift Cards– 75 families/375 individuals=$3,200.00
  • Rent/Mortgage– 170 households/850 individuals=$215,180.00
  • Utility Assistance– 47 households/235 individuals=$10,500.00.
  • Vehicle Supportive Services– 12 families/60 individuals=$3,072.00
  • Christmas Adopt-A-Family Program– 800+ children received toys
  • Case Management– 505 families/2,020 individuals

Sunset is happy to support a great nonprofit like WE CARE working constantly to better the Los Alamitos community. Here is the link for WE CARE’s website if you are interested in donating or volunteering: http://wecarelosalamitos.org/

 

Pathways to Independence

Pathway to Independence or Pathways works to transform the lives of disadvantaged young women through education, therapy, mentoring, housing, and healthcare. Pathways was founded in 1994 and has always sought to help financially poor young women from backgrounds of abuse with higher ambitions of receiving an education or job. Through their services, Pathways is able to help a group of about 50 women at a time achieve such ambitions and become independent. Since its beginning no members or executives of Pathways have received any compensation whatsoever and about 88% of the program expenses went directly to the clients in 2015. We also love to support Friends of Pathways, which a subdivision of Pathways comprised of a small group of women who work to raise the money necessary for Pathways to function. This all just goes to show how Pathways is another great nonprofit working effortlessly for the betterment our community. Here is the link for Pathways’ website if you are interested in donating or volunteering: http://pathwaystoindependence.org/

Here is a promo video Pathways made back in 2013 with their founder Dave Bishop talking about their mission:

 

We truly believe that Los Alamitos is one of the best communities around, and this is largely in part due to these organizations. These nonprofits offer a wide variety of ways to get involved meaning nobody should have an excuse for not volunteering or donating. Regardless of personal preference, we are certain that everyone can find a way to help out and keep this community flourishing, so we encourage everyone to reach out to these nonprofits and help in some way, shape, or form.

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