🌟 Hero of the Month: Assemblymember Tina McKinnor 🌟
A lifelong Angeleno and dedicated public servant, @asmtinamckinnorhas built her career around creating opportunity, advancing equity, and strengthening communities across Los Angeles County.
What makes her support of United Friends especially meaningful is how hands-on she has been. From meeting one-on-one with our youth, to visiting housing sites, …
Tiona’s journey reminds us that perseverance makes all the difference. 💙
Tiona joined United Friends’ Scholars program in July 2022, and her senior year tested her resilience. A midyear move meant leaving behind a school community she had built for years and plans to try out for basketball.
Transportation challenges began impacting her grades and morale, but …
🌟 Hero of the Month: Ebony Wilson
This month, we’re honored to recognize Ebony Wilson, founder of Ebony’s Safe Space LLC, for her deep commitment to the Antelope Valley community and the youth she serves, including young people at United Friends of the Children. Raised in the Antelope Valley herself, Ebony brings both lived experience and …
Justin joined United Friends’ Scholars program in 2019 while managing learning challenges and mental health struggles.
Through determination and the right support, he stayed focused on graduating from high school and building a better future.
After attending our Career Day, Justin discovered a new motivation to pursue a career in business. His dream is to give …
Facing fears, finding confidence. Meet Stephanie. 🧗♀️
Stephanie joined our Scholars program in Fall 2020. Through family transitions, emotional challenges, and anxiety, she’s remained committed to showing up for herself and exploring who she wants to become.
With support from her United Friends counselor, Stephanie recently overcame her fear of heights at a rock-climbing gym. Step by …
We were honored to welcome Senator María Elena Durazo to our Mednik housing site, where she spent time with our CEO Matt Strieker, Director of Housing Iberia Calix, our dedicated housing team, and one of our residents.
During her visit, Senator Durazo toured an apartment, learned more about the day-to-day realities youth are navigating, and saw …
Our Pathways Friendsgiving was nothing short of joyful! 🧡
The team prepared a beautiful meal, led morning yoga, hosted some very competitive basketball games, and, most importantly, created a space where our young people felt welcomed, celebrated, and surrounded by community.
The holidays can be tough for many foster youth, but moments like this bring warmth, connection, …
🌟 Hero of the Month: Danyell Wells 🌟
This month, we’re honored to highlight Danyell Wells, Executive Director at the La La Land Foundation. She is a powerful advocate whose life’s work sits at the intersection of equity, mental health, and opportunity for young people.
With advanced degrees in social work and criminology, Danyell has built a …
Our Pathways participants turned the community room into a runway! Showcasing professional, casual, and creative outfits all styled from donated clothing. But this wasn’t just about clothes. It was about confidence, self-expression, and supporting one another.
Youth helped style each other, shared tips on building personal and professional wardrobes, and received thoughtful feedback from staff judges …