Heart of Los Angeles helps young people overcome barriers through exceptional, free, integrated programs and personalized guidance in a trusted, nurturing environment. Our organization brings together school leaders, families, and local organizations to support kids in some of Los Angeles’ most overlooked neighborhoods.
Heart of Los Angeles was founded in 1989 by Mitchel Moore, who was inspired to create free, youth-centered programming to fill an expansive gap impacting youth in under-resourced communities. Heart of Los Angeles has grown to serve over 3,100 kids annually at sites in MacArthur Park/Westlake, South Central, and Watts. By bridging a critical, widening resource gap for students and families in Los Angeles, Heart of Los Angeles provides a breadth of leadership and advocacy opportunities, reaffirming our commitment to cultivating engaged leaders and change makers equipped to seed transformative, community-driven change.
A key part of our success at HOLA is that we don’t wait. We don’t need to wait for public education to be perfect to start making a difference in the lives of young people. We can change kids’ chances to learn in this city right now–today. We always hear in youth development about giving kids “a chance.” A chance? Just one? No. Let’s give kids everything. Everything they need to achieve success.
