Empowering Youth from Underserved Communities to Launch a Career in Tech 

April 5, 2022

California Community Foundation (CCF) recognizes the role of the LA tech community in building a future where all Angelenos have the opportunity to contribute to the well-being of our region. Which is why CCF has been excited to support the work of LA-Tech.org, a nonprofit started by tech founders and CEOs of LA homegrown tech […]

The Black Empowerment Fund is Investing in Equity for L.A. Black Communities

One year ago, with the support of our donors and community partners, California Community Foundation (CCF) launched a bold new fund to invest in the promise of systemic change and equity for L.A.’s Black families. Ensuring that Black-led and Black-empowering organizations throughout Los Angeles County have the resources and long-term infrastructure to thrive is the […]

El Monte City School District’s Kinder Readiness Program Redefines How Students and Families Prepare for Academic Success

January 25, 2022

For the second year in a row, CCF’s LA County Summer Learning Initiative supported learning and enrichment programs for low-income and vulnerable students in K-12 schools. Thanks to the generosity of donors and family foundations, $7.4 million in grants were distributed to 123 summer programs across Los Angeles County. The LA County Summer Learning Initiative […]

Changing the Future by Investing in Early Childhood Development – A Conversation with CCF Donors, Mindy and Gene Stein

July 20, 2021

“The experiences that children have in the early months and years of life make an enormous impact on a child’s brain development and future success,” says Mindy and Gene Stein about why it’s crucial to invest in early childhood development. “By providing children with access to safe, affordable and high-quality education from birth, we can […]

Reimagining Youth Justice in Los Angeles County

January 20, 2021

In late 2020, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to dismantle the nation’s largest and most complicated youth probation department to form the Department of Youth Development. The new department will focus on alternatives to incarceration that disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous and young people of color.

The Evolving Pandemic Landscape & Germination of Positive Systemic Change

January 5, 2021

The coronavirus outbreak, economic disruptions and calls for racial justice—as well as the uncertainty of what might come next—have revealed existing inequities in our housing, education, health care, food security, criminal justice and employment. We are at a turning point. Two roads in the forest. One merely leads to a recovery. The other leads us to a renewal.

A Summer of Learning for Our Most Vulnerable Students

August 14, 2020

In March 2020, K-12 schools in Los Angeles County had to quickly transition 70,000 teachers and 1.5 million students and their families to online platforms for distance learning.  This immediate disruption to traditional school operations exacerbated long-time gaps in educational opportunities and access along racial and socioeconomic lines for the County’s young people. As this […]

Ready to Rise: Youth Will Drive the Change

June 17, 2020

BY: JAI PHILLIPS, PROGRAM OFFICER, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT In recent weeks we have witnessed youth across the nation, and even around the globe, take to the streets in protest of the brutal killings of Black men and women and the systemic racism that has persisted for generations. We know from history that in moments of great […]

Coronavirus Happens, College Can’t Wait

May 26, 2020

The start of summer is usually a time to celebrate college graduations and academic achievements—but this year it’s different due to the coronavirus pandemic.

When Our Heroes are Also Our Most Vulnerable

March 24, 2020

It is hard to believe how our lives, as Angelinos, have been altered in just a matter of days due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Social distancing, school and business closures, and the many safe guards issued by elected officials to limit the spread of the virus are constant reminders that we are stepping into […]