Los Angeles, CA. The pandemic has turned school into a virtual experience for millions of kids and researchers say it has given cyberbullies more opportunities to attack others. Speak Out Against Bullying Inc., is trying to do something about it. The organization is a nonprofit dedicated to bringing, “social and civic changes to inspire a call to action against bullying and cyberbullying through public advocacy, prevention, and awareness.”
Hundreds of kids attend a Speak Out Against Bullying workshop before the pandemic.
When asked how the organization is fairing during the pandemic, Executive Director, Monica Harmon says, “It has been a struggle for a lot of nonprofits. I have seen some of my friends go under. I am thankful to our partners and volunteers who have continued to support our mission. ” Like many organizations, Speak Out Against Bullying Inc. had to pivot day-to-day operations to sustain its mission. Prior to the pandemic, the organization was bringing awareness by hosting in-person auditorium-sized workshops, holiday events, and giveaways. Now, the Speak Out Against Bullying team is hosting zoom meetings, making phone calls and sending out emails to stay up to date with families.
A pre-pandemic Speak Out Against Bullying workshop
Speak Out Against Bullying Inc. tries to bring joy to the children it serves. For the 2020 Speak Out Against Bullying Toy Giveaway, organizers didn’t know if they were going to receive enough donations, due to the financial strains many Los Angeles families were, and are, experiencing. Monica Harmon used her extensive civil service and law enforcement background to partner with six Los Angeles Police Department organizations. Last year’s toy drive received a record-breaking 3,000 toys. How do you safely give thousands of toys to the children? With the help of community partners. Speak Out Against Bullying organized a grab-and-go, drive-through, and delivery service.
Speak Out Against Bullying 2020 Toy Giveaway
On Valentine’s Day the organization partnered with Watts Community Core Group. Hosting a Valentine’s Day event at Nickerson Gardens for the children. Nickerson Gardens was featured in the Netflix film “A Week in Watts.”
Monica Harmon has spoken with thousands of youth since 2013. Prevention and confidence-building start at home she explains, “The positive thing about the COVID-19 pandemic is that it gives a break to the victims who are being bullied physically and mentally. They don’t want to go to school. The students prefer virtual learning so they do not have to face the bullying from the peers.” She has received many calls from parents regarding their children. With the new administration and a plan to steadily roll out the vaccine; the anticipation of going back to school for many students is causing unease. If you would like to find out more information about, donation or volunteer opportunities please visit Speak Out Against Bullying Inc.
Here’s a video about National Bullying Prevention Month
From Speak Out Against Bullying Inc.:
Speak Out Against Bullying Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit for social and civic changes to inspire a call to action against bullying/cyberbullying through public advocacy, prevention, and awareness. We have provided education and resources to tens of thousands. Working with our community partners of schools, students, parents, educators, law enforcement, businesses, elected officials, and neighborhood councils, our highly-touted public safety program teaches how to identify, prevent and speak out safely about bullying/cyberbullying. We advocate for a safe school campus that is respectful, tolerant, and inclusive.
Speak Out Against Bullying Inc. was founded in 2013 by Monica Harmon a Public Safety Advocate for over 30 years.
Ms. Harmon has been a guest speaker on Public Safety issues, bullying, cyberbullying, social media, Safe School Campus, and community issues. Speaker engagements include Public Policy Exchange “Tackling Bullying in California Schools,” California Association of Student Council’s Youth Action Summit, Special Needs Network Youth Bullying Summit at USC, Fox Studios “Future Professionals”, AEG Worldwide’s “Bring Your Child to Work Day,” Riverside Medical Foundation’s 1st Annual Anti Bullying Conference.
Speak Out Against Bullying Inc. was honored by Los Angeles City Council with a resolution signed by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin and all City Council members. Ms. Harmon is a community organizer, community outreach specialist, community policing advocate, and believes in community engagement and investment.
Los Angeles, CA. 2020 has been an unprecedented year with the loss of over 315,000 lives, the closing of thousands of local businesses, which has left thousands of families food-deprived. Organizations like No Us Without You LA continues to be a pioneer in the Los Angeles community, providing meals for undocumented Back Of House Staff and their families living in the Los Angeles area.
No Us Without You LA is a public charity. While the stimulus packages and government assistance programs have been provided for those in need, families of undocumented works are not privy to these subsidies.
Nonprofit leaders say that access to breakfast, lunch, and dinner should not be an American privilege but a human right. They believe that as a community, we must not forget about the workers and their families who sacrifice and work hard to put food on our tables. “Your kind gesture this holiday season will provide an entire family one week’s worth of meals. If you are looking to give a week’s worth of meals, or simply donate visit No Us Without You LA,” leaders explain.
Here’s a video about the organization:
A brief history of No US Without You LA:
We are Va’La Hospitality
Va’La Hospitality is a bar consultancy group founded by Damian Diaz and Othón Nolasco in 2017 from a desire to give back to their industry. Rather than agonize over how undocumented workers affected by COVID-19 would feed their families, the two partners acted. And in just 24 hours they founded No Us Without You, a 501c3 Non-Profit Public Charity providing food security to the most disenfranchised hospitality workers affected by the pandemic. No Us Without You has transformed Va’La Hospitality’s Boyle Heights office into a food distribution hub. Donations have enabled the two partners to provide dry goods and fresh produce to undocumented back-of-house staff such as dishwashers, bussers, line cooks, and porters. Launched in mid-March with a goal of feeding 30 families a week, No Us Without You is now feeding over 1,300 families per week. Diaz and Nolasco plan on offering food relief indefinitely as they have embraced their new roles as Nonprofit Co-Founders. They are proud to be Humans Feeding Humans.
Los Angeles, CA. Project Ropa is a nonprofit foundation based in Los Angeles serving the homeless community. The nonprofit works to restore dignity by bringing clean clothing and hygiene kits directly to people experiencing homelessness. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority, there are a total of 63,706 people homeless and 46,090 still in need of shelter. Over the past year, there has been a 12.7% increase in homelessness in LA County alone. Community members who are experiencing homelessness do not have easy access to bathrooms let alone showers.
Like many organizations, Project Ropa has seen a massive decline in monetary donations as a result of the global pandemic. While the monetary donations have declined by 75%, there has been a 300% increase in clothing donations.
Overhead has not declined but rather increased for the organization during this time. Project Ropa’s storage units are at full capacity, so the organization had to acquire a third unit for the influx of supplies.
Project Ropa has more than doubled weekly donations. Prior to the pandemic, the organization directly provided hygiene kits and clothing to 200 people directly on a weekly basis. Today after teaming up with local nonprofits they are serving over 5,000 people a month. Caitlin Adler Founder and Executive Director says, “We expect that number to continue to grow. We have figured out a way to increase capacity with less money.”
As a result of Covid-19, the demand and quantity for hygiene kits has substantially increased. With social distancing mandates in place getting essential personal protective equipment together has had its fair share of challenges. Due to hygiene regulations and sanitation recommendations, clothing is quarantined for 7-days prior to distribution. With major pivots implemented (i.e. quarantine of shoes and clothes, halted entry into mobile hygiene vans, and meeting sanitation standards etc.). Volunteers are no longer able to assist in the vans and volunteer opportunities have been cut in half.
With the elevated health risks associated with the virus, Project Ropas partnership with Saint Francis Center has been a saving grace for thousands of people.
During this time there are no holiday events planned.
Volunteers are encouraged to engage in Project Ropa’s virtual volunteer opportunities. Where individuals go out into the community to collect a list of items. Merchandise can be dropped off at the facility and or pick-up can be coordinated at a nearby location.
From Project Ropa:
It is in times like these that your donations are needed the most. Find out more at Project Ropa. Monetary donations can be made on Donor Box here and to our Venmo account @ProjectRopa.
Mission
Project Ropa helps restore dignity, rekindle optimism, and empower lives by providing clean clothing, hygiene kits and job opportunities to people experiencing homelessness.
Our Mailing Address
4712 Admiralty Way #1226 Marina del Rey, CA 90292
Our Warehouse Address
12681 W Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90066
Donation Drop-off Information
We accept clothing donation drop-offs at our warehouse by appointment only. Email us: [email protected]
About Us
Project Ropa was founded in 2016 by Caitlin Adler to address the challenges that homeless people face in obtaining and keeping clean clothes. Though homelessness is accompanied by many deprivations — from food, to shelter, to safety — one of its greatest indignities comes from the absence of hygiene services.
When you’re homeless, it doesn’t take long to look that way, and the world and your options in it shrink. Access to hygiene services is a human right yet for many people experiencing homelessness there are often significant barriers to proper hygiene. Most homeless people literally have only the clothes on their backs. Access to clean clothing is essential to the overall well-being of a person and can be the key to opening doors to employment and housing.
We believe everyone deserves to be treated with respect. How you look affects how you feel about yourself and how others treat you. Now, because of the health threats posed by the coronavirus, the need to overcome those challenges has become ever greater. People who are experiencing homelessness often wind up wearing dirty and wet clothes for long stretches of time, making them vulnerable to the spread of transmissible diseases, including Covid-19.
No one should have to wear dirty clothes or clothes that are ill-fitting. It is more important than ever that our homeless neighbors have access to new and gently used donated clothing in a safe, humane and dignified setting.
That’s where we come in.
Project Ropa provides a curated selection of new and gently used high-quality men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories, along with personal hygiene products — all donated by local manufacturers, retailers and nonprofit partners — which we bring to locations throughout the city each week in a retrofitted van that acts as a mobile walk-in closet. At the same time, the people we serve can take a shower offered by another service provider with whom we work in tandem.
The need to provide clean clothes to our homeless neighbors has never been more urgent. Read this article to learn more about what makes our service different. For additional information about why it is so important to provide people experiencing homelessness with access to clean clothes in a safe, humane and respectful way read this article.
We believe in second chances for people who want to turn their lives around. Our vision is to help break the cycle of homelessness by restoring dignity and creating living-wage job opportunities for people with barriers to employment.
NONPROFIT BENEFIT TICKET GIVEAWAYS!
Sign up for our free weekly highlights for the chance to win two tickets terrific nonprofit events! If you “like” us on facebook, or sign up for our weekly news highlights, you’ll be entered to win! Sign up today!
Look for another ticket giveaway soon! Are you a nonprofit looking to bolster your publicity with facebook and tweets? Email us and we’ll run a contest with tickets to your event! [email protected]
