My Friend's Place eNews 

December 2012                                    

Giving Thanks with MFP Youth!
 
On November 21st, volunteers and staff served up a delicious feast for the youth here at My Friend's Place.

We celebrated the bounty of the season with over 120 young people! We're so grateful to all of our volunteers, from those who cooked turkeys, trimmings and pies, to those who helped decorate MFP and served the feast.

A very special thank you goes out to:
 
for making the event possible for the 15th year in a row!
And Big Sunday for providing extra special Thanksgiving meal kits for the youth in transitional housing. We are also grateful for Hollywood Seventh-day Adventist Church for contributing to the feast and all of our friends throughout our community who helped to make our Thanksgiving possible. 

Together we created a truly special day for the young people!  
Get to Know the MFP Team!

In each monthly eNews edition we highlight all things MFP, such as workshops, news, events, stories, volunteers and wish lists. But we realized that you might not be familiar with our amazing staff! 
It is the work of a dedicated and passionate team that truly makes MFP what it is. Each day staff members show up to guide, support and inspire transformation for each young person who walks through MFP's doors. From the first step of establishing rapport in our Safe Haven, to education and employment assistance, medical care and therapeutic case management, staff encourage young people each step of the way. Allow us to share with you a little more about the MFP teams and the day-to-day work they do to help make self-sufficiency possible for the young people. 
This month we're featuring....
MFP's Training and Evaluation Team
    
Nick Taylor, MPH
Erin Linn, CHLA Intern
Sergio Gonzalez, CHLA Intern 
Melissa Dorman, The Painted Brain Intern

With nearly 20 years of experience working with the homeless youth population in Los Angeles, Nick Taylor lends his expertise in the training of staff, interns and program volunteers. He works with partnering agencies to identify new research methods and training opportunities to improve services for the youth. His team includes Erin Linn and Sergio Gonzalez, both interns from Children's Hospital LA, who are also invaluable members of the Case Management Team, and Melissa Dorman, an intern working with our Painted Brain partnership. 
 
With the goals of building our capacity, improving our intake model, and creating more effective interventions to engage the youth, the Training and Evaluation Team work to welcome each young person and guide them through MFP's dynamic programming. They have done incredible work bringing MFP's mission to life!

 

Stay tuned for more MFP team highlights!

Holiday Giving

We anticipate over 200 young people at MFP for our Holiday Celebration on December 14th. Please help us to provide the following:

  • $5 store gift cards (Target, CVS or Vons)
    • urgent need 
  • Fast food gift cards (McDonald's or In-N-Out)
    • urgent need 
  • Backpacks 
    • urgent need 
  • Metro bus tokens or TAP Cards 
  • New sleeping bags and blankets
  • Winter coats and jackets
  • New hoodies (all sizes and colors)
  • Hats, gloves and scarves
  • Umbrellas and rain ponchos
  • Notebooks and journals
If you are unable to drop off items in time for the Holiday Celebration, not to worry...
Your in-kind donations can make a huge difference year round! 

We are happy to help organize a drive at your business, school or place of worship. Please see ou

Holiday Wish List to help spread the word to family, friends and coworkers.

 

THANK YOU to those who have already contributed, volunteered or organized holiday drives!

 

Please contact  

Natalie Schaffer at

323-908-0011 ext. 101 or development@myfriendsplace.org

for more information or to

schedule a drop-off. 

Get Connected!
 
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This Month
Thanksgiving Feast
Meet the MFP Team!
Holiday Giving
Volunteer of the Month
HomeWalk 2012
Mission
My Friend's Place assists and inspires homeless youth to build self-sufficient lives.

Please consider supporting MFP's mission this holiday season
Contribute through our
Learn more at

Unwrap the gift of  self-sufficiency this holiday season. Please help a young person get back on track by supporting the services at MFP. 



Word From the Streets

Written by youth in MFP workshops

 

Wisdom

 

Today marks a new step for me 

Always believe in yourself and that each day counts as what you do or say.

No matter what was in the past, leave it behind you and focus toward the future.

Be careful of what you do and what you say, 'cause the outcome can share your future. 

I am sort of trying to do this even when things are wrong, there is always something coming out of it.. There will always be situations in life and no matter what happens, I always have to remain positive. 

  

Written by Charles

MFP By the Numbers
Service stats for
November 2012 
  • Youth served: 373
  • Total number of visits: 1,470
  • Average number of youths per day: 87
Volunteer of the Month  
Click here for more on Facebook
 
 Jorge Gonzalez
 

Our Volunteer of the Month is Jorge Gonzalez. Jorge began volunteering at MFP last summer. He is very passionate about his work with the youth, 

 

"I help because the youth need help and I am available to help. I can, so I do."  

 

He describes a normal day at MFP to be "customer service to the extreme". During his first few months here, Jorge learned to be more understanding and patient with people. He quotes MFP's  principles "We serve the person, not the personality." Everyone here at MFP would like to thank Jorge for his dedication and hard work. You are a invaluable member of our team!

HomeWalk 2012

A Massive Success!

   Each year, the United Way of Greater Los Angeles organizes HomeWalk, a 5K run/walk to end homelessness. Kobe Bryant was the Master of Ceremonies for the second year straight! 
The event was held on Saturday, November 17 in Exposition Park and drew over 10,000 Angelenos. MFP was there to raise support for some of the most vulnerable in our community and to spread the word that homelessness is a solvable problem.

 

Check out this video recap from the event: 
HomeWalk 2012
HomeWalk 2012

 

 

My Friend's Place is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.  To make a gift with your credit card, visit our secure online donation page.  Please send checks to:

My Friend's Place / Attn: Membership Program / PO Box 3867 / Hollywood, CA 90078