Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA)

Meet Victor

In the middle of Los Angeles, near downtown, there is a place that is changing the lives of children and youth living in poverty. The organization, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), offers a campus and green space that serves 1,600 children each year with classes in academics, arts and athletics.

HOLA is an after-school, weekend and summer program that seeks to empower and enrich the lives of young people by providing quality academic, arts and athletic programs. Many of HOLA's youth attend overburdened inner city schools and live in communities that are heavily impacted by illegal drug trafficking and gang violence. Additionally, many children are hindered by poverty and immigration status. "For many families, we help end the cycle of poverty. HOLA is there to give kids new opportunities and help them choose a path for their future that includes college, job training, and new experiences," said Tony Brown, Executive Director for HOLA. "We reach out to the next generation. The end result is that we help end the cycle of poverty for these families."

HOLA's success rate is impressive. With fewer than 50% of local students graduating from high school, HOLA has achieved a graduation rate above 90% and an equally high matriculation rate into post-secondary education. This success is achieved by taking a long-term approach with its students. HOLA offers programs for elementary, middle and high school students. The classes are engaging to children and stay relevant as they grow. The diversity of classes in arts, athletics and academics increases the chances that students will find activities to motivate and inspire them. HOLA's long-term approach welcomes all children between the ages of 6 and 18 and insures that children involved in their programs stay involved over a long period of time. With the involvement of mentors and HOLA alumni, many children begin to see HOLA as a second home. They look forward to their time at the campus. Through this support system, they are more likely to stay in school and improve their grades.

HOLA's success rate has a very high positive ratio, such that the community's need is greater than its current capacity. Funds from the Summa Children's Foundation allow HOLA to serve greater numbers of children in the neighborhood. Thanks in part to Summa's assistance, HOLA has grown at an exponential rate. This fall, HOLA will open a new recreation center and park that will allow it to expand its services to 2,300 children. Even with this expansion, there will still be additional children in the community who are hungry for HOLA's services. Moving forward, HOLA will continue to grow responsibly as it strives to serve all children who need its services.

"The Summa Children's Foundation had such an incredible impact on our programming. We were able to serve an additional 300 children with comprehensive services because of the support from the foundation," said Tony. "Summa was there to help ensure that we could reach out to so many new students and for that, we are always grateful."