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January 2012 Volume 6 Issue 1
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Happy New Year!
I hope 2012 is off to a fantastic start for you, your friends and family!
As we start the New Year here at My Friend's Place, we reflect upon the incredible triumphs and challenges of 2011.
Last year we welcomed many new young people through our doors to connect with one of our incredibly committed staff members. We invited youth from every socioeconomic and family background into our world of compassion, dedication and opportunity. We bore witness to and participated in many incredible transformations through the provision of basic needs and emergency services, case management, education and employment services, and creative arts opportunities. We welcomed a few new members to our team and made several new friends in the community.
Our dynamic Board of Directors and staff leadership began working on a new strategic plan to reinvigorate our mission and plan for the next five years. We enjoyed several celebrations and events at the agency and throughout Los Angeles that served to spread the word about MFP's work, raising crucial support in the process. At year end, an extremely generous donor contributed $50,000 to our Meet your Match campaign, which we are delighted to announce, raised over $220,000 for our programs and services! Support from our board, volunteers, contributors, corporate and community partners has been invaluable to My Friend's Place and to the young people who count on us each day.
These great strides have not come without some struggles along the way. My Friend's Place, like everyone, has been impacted by the economic uncertainty over the past few years. Thankfully, we are now in a place of financial and organizational health, but there is still much work to be done! We would love our doors to again be open seven days a week so that the young people will have a place to go on the weekends. We need to grow our staff to pre-recession levels so that we can meet the changing needs of the youth. The resiliency of the youth we serve inspires us to view these challenges as a mechanism for improvement and transformation.
We have so much to look forward to in 2012 and we thank you for continuing to be part of the MFP family. On behalf of every single young person who has ever come through our doors - Thank You!
Warmly,
Heather Carmichael, LCSW
Executive Director
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New Year Resolutions from MFP Youth:
"Go back to school" Ella*, age 20
"See my baby more" Sharon, age 17
"Get an apartment" Nick, age 24
"Quit smoking; I'm already in the process" James, age 20
"Do well in school" Amy, age 23
"Finish my album" Tyrone, age 22
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Holiday Celebrations Brightened
the Season for Youth!
The holidays are often the busiest time for MFP, and this year was no exception. On December 16th, staff and volunteers transformed MFP into a winter wonderland for our annual holiday party. Young people enjoyed a festive holiday meal including home-baked treats and of course, Santa! This year we were happy to distribute backpacks, sleeping bags, winter clothing, gift cards, and other essential items. The youth were so grateful for their holiday gifts made possible by our wonderful community of supporters.
We were excited to continue our tradition of keeping the MFP doors open on Christmas Day as well! Over 70 young people came in for a home-cooked meal with all the fixings, generously provided and served by BAM Crawford Ministries. Many youth also received a surprise gift from MFP Board Member, Lylle Breier, of a visit to El Capitan Theater to see Disney's The Muppets that afternoon!
Without the help of our amazing contributors, staff, volunteers, and friends new and old, none of this would have been possible. Thank you for being part of the MFP Holidays!
CLICK HERE to see an extended thank you to our holiday partners and friends.
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 JANUARY GENEROSITY
We had such a great response to our wish lists and donation drives in December, but we still have many needs in the New Year!
My Friend's Place can always use:
- Backpacks
 - Hoodies
- New work boots
- Sleeping bags
- Bus tokens
- Food or store gift cards
*Occasionally we have other needs that arise due to special events or a young person being housed. If you have something to donate or would like more ideas about how to help, please contact Natalie at (323) 908-0011 ext. 101 or email development@myfriendsplace.org.
Check out some other ways to give back in 2012!
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MFP Celebrates its 24th Anniversary!
In January 1988, Steve LePore and Craig Scholz initiated a volunteer-led, mobile meal program to distribute sack lunches to the homeless youth in the Hollywood community. Since then, My Friend's Place has undergone many changes and transformations, becoming what is now one of the most frequently visited drop-in Resource Centers for homeless youth in Southern California. Today, we serve over 1,700 youth ages 12 to 25 and their children each year. We are all so proud of what My Friend's Place has become and will continue to celebrate the transformations along the way!
MFP Staff and Steve LePore celebrate our birthday at the 101 Coffee Shop in Hollywood.
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| Mission
My Friend's Place assists and inspires homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives.
Please consider supporting MFP's mission! Contribute through our
Learn more at |
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Word From the Streets
Written in MFP Workshops
Untitled
In every aspect of life you have a decision. To let go or hold on. To choose to grow or become stagnant. You have the choice to allow outer forces and their influence to destroy you or build upon your greatness. You are ultimately in charge of how your life is lived- happily or distraughtly. Your decision regarding everything, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally reflects upon your perceptions of life and others' perceptions of you. Eventually it returns and the cycle continues until your decisions have finally brought forth a positive outcome in one way or another. All in all, when the door is before you...will you stand and wait for someone else to open it? Or will you take charge and open it yourself? It's your life, your happiness, your rights, your love and your dreams, hopes and desires. Your life is yours and no one else's!! So seize the day and take control!
Written by Deon K.
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IN THE:
 USC Study Shows Cell Phones Are a Helpful Tool for Homeless Teens
The study, conducted by professor Eric Rice of the
School of Social Work at the University of Southern
California, showed that a cell phone can provide a crucial safety net for homeless teenagers. Rice, who has worked with My Friend's Place to collect research data, sees cell phones as broadening homeless teens' potential and opportunities. The study concluded that many young people use cell phones to stay connected to positive influences in their lives like family and friends, as well as to reach potential employers, case workers, social workers and other service providers.
Homeless teens and cell phones
Data collected by USC researcher Eric Rice in 2009 of 169 homeless youth in Los Angeles showed:
- 62% of homeless teens had a cell phone
- 85% were using the Internet at least weekly
- 27% purchased a phone using money earned at a job
- 20% received a phone as a gift
- 15% purchased a phone by panhandling or street performing
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Volunteer of the Month
Russell Scott Conte of the
Sewing Arts Center in
Santa Monica
"Sewers are remarkable people," Russell Conte shared. MFP couldn't agree more; this holiday season Russell and the network of the Sewing Arts Center made a remarkable contribution of 170 sleeping bags for the youth at MFP!
The shop established in 1955 and rechristened "Sewing Arts Center" 12 years ago provides a robust educational sewing curriculum in addition to its myriad sewing related services, sewing machine sales and repairs, fabric and notions. After learning about My Friend's Place through Elle Larson, a sewing workshop volunteer, Russell saw a great opportunity to put the expertise and talents of the Sewing Arts Center to use through community service. Fortunately for MFP, he found out about us just in time! With only a few days remaining before our big holiday celebration, we had been unable to secure all of the sleeping bags needed for the youth. As the weather grew colder, worry grew. Staff wondered how the young people would stay warm through the winter.
Enter Russell and his network of supporters. Russell is known for his ability to light a fire under people, and he certainly used this skill to mobilize amazing support for MFP. He and his network answered the call at the very last minute, ensuring that every single young person who walked through MFP's doors for the winter holiday received a brand new sleeping bag. This was no small feat; not only did they have to come up with the funds to purchase all of the sleeping bags, but they also had to scour LA stores for the large number of bags needed. "It just drives me crazy to have kids on the street; it's unconscionable" Russell stated. Passionate about public service, he hopes to continue partnering with MFP in the future through social entrepreneurship opportunities.
My Friend's Place is so grateful to Russell and the Sewing Arts Center community for inspiring so much generosity on behalf of the homeless young people in Hollywood. Thank you!
Visit their website
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