About HOLA

HEART OF LA

In neighborhoods often overrun by poverty, crime and a feeling of hopelessness, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) invests in youth to build stronger communities. Heart of Los Angeles gives some of the city’s most vulnerable youth a chance to succeed in life. From what started 25 years ago with just a handful of kids in a dilapidated gym, today HOLA serves over 2,400 youth ages 6-24 in a safe and supportive environment.

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Mission: Heart of Los Angeles provides underserved youth with free, exceptional programs in academics, arts and athletics within a nurturing environment, empowering them to develop their potential, pursue their education and strengthen their communities.

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Demographics: HOLA’s members are 85% Latino, 7% Asian American, 6% African American, and 2% other ethnicities, closely reflecting the demographic composition of the Rampart/Westlake District, the second most densely populated area in the United States.

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Need: HOLA’s education programs meet the needs of those youth with the least amount of resources. Of the families attending HOLA, approximately 97% are living in poverty and struggle each day to simply survive.

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Facilities: All HOLA programs take place in a fourbuilding, 32,000 square foot campus in the heart of Los Angeles, in and around Lafayette Park. Facilities include multiple classrooms, an art gallery, libraries and studios, computer labs, music/orchestra rooms and more.

Heart of Los Angeles

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2701 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles CA 90057

213.389.1148 www.heartofla.org

Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) was founded in 1989 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Federal Tax ID # 95-4397418).

HOLA’s Academic Programs are designed to provide students with structured and quality academic support and enrichment through our SmartStart Elementary, Bridges Middle and PAT High School Programs. HOLA’s Visual Arts curriculum is delivered by professional art instructors, college professors and volunteer artists who provide over 30 intensive arts education classes each week, including drawing and painting, ceramics, sculpture, screen-printing, public art and fashion design. HOLA’s Music Program is currently serving 300 1st 12th grade students in Gustavo Dudamel’s signature Youth Orchestra LA Program, along with academic tutoring, private music lessons, a children’s choir, and a jazz band and a rock band. HOLA’s Athletics Program serves over 1,000 youth who participate in premiere soccer, basketball and volleyball leagues, summer camps and outdoor recreational activities.

GIVING KIDS A CHANCE TO !

SUCCEED !

Success: HOLA has achieved measurable results by tracking the success of each student. Not only do HOLA students matriculate to the next grade level, with notable achievement in language arts, math, and science, but over the last three years, 100% of HOLA’s seniors graduated from high school and over 95% are now attending college.

HOLA Alumni: Over 200 HOLA alumni are attending colleges and universities nationwide, including all of the UC campuses, many of the Cal State campuses, as well as Barnard, Wellesley and Williams Colleges, Brown and Syracuse Universities and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to name just a few. Many of these young adults are the first in their families to enter college and are traveling away from home for the first time.

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Partnerships: HOLA has become a beacon center of hope that unites partners with youth and their families to transform communities. HOLA has developed innovative partnerships with best in class organizations, including Bard College, the Everychild Foundation, Longy School of Music of Bard College, Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and numerous and generous private funders, to help give kids a chance to succeed.

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HOLA provides over 2,400 youth, ages 6-19, with free after-school programming in arts, athletics and academics.

Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) was founded in 1989 and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Federal Tax ID # 95-4397418).