Volunteer to Help Participate in the 2015 Homeless Count

Come out and help change a life!  At the end of this month, we will have the opportunity to contribute to the county-wide Homeless Count 2015!  The results of the Homeless Count 2015 will determine how resources are allocated across Los Angeles County.  Our neighborhoods in South LA desperately need these resources to help us care for all our families housed, vulnerable to homelessness and hunger, and homeless. Now more then ever, homeless folks are finding shelter in South LA, while resources are concentrated elsewhere.  A complete count can ensure we have the tools to make a change!

Please mark you calendars for January 29th, and come out and volunteer!!

• No experience necessary, you will be trained and supported through the process.

If you would like more information on the Homeless Count 2015, please check out the The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

Volunteer with the Empowerment Congress West Area Team by signing up on our NationBuilder team page.

If you have any additional questions or concerns you can contact me, my information is below.

Thank you, and I will see you on January 29th, at 8pm!

Ashley K. Thomas
Empowerment Congress West Area, Area 3 Rep, Outreach Committee Chair
Homeless Count 2015, Empowerment Congress West Area Deployment Cite Coordinator

ashleykthomas@ecwandc.org
ashleykthomas@gmail.com

Read the LA Times’ editorial for more information on the 2015 Homeless Count!

Urban Gardens of LA

Have you ever dreamed of turning a blighted empty lot into a thriving edible oasis of health, well you may have your opportunity now.  Under the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act 8600 empty lots could be turned in thriving community gardens.  LA City Council passed a motion to encourage landowners to lease their underused land to people who want to grow their own food in trade for a property tax adjustment.  The law which was passed last year is a great way to push health eating in the urban  community’s and can’t wait to see this initiative actually take effect.

LA Council Introduce Tax Breaks For Community Garden Space

2014 Ladera Walk Around The Park

The annual Ladera Walk Around The Park is back upon us.   Promoting healthy and safety within our young community participants are encourage to come out and walk around the Ladera Park starting at 2pm  August 16th.  Supporters :Wells Fargo, Nestle, Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Whole Foods, Magic Johnson Foundation, Broadway Federal Bank, Deuce Brand, United Oil, Mike’s Deli, Earle’s Grille, Pann”s Restaurant.

Ladera Walk Around The Park

Ribbon Cutting For MLK Outpatient Center

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Wednesday May 28th 9:30am

The new Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center, with its bright floors and gleaming steel and glass picture windows, is ready for its close-up. On May 28, the doors will be opened for a ribbon cutting ceremony and public viewing. Whether it’s the high-tech specialized clinics such as the blood infusion bay for chemotherapy patients, the stroke rehabilitation suite or the oral surgery center, the MLK Outpatient Center promises to deliver the very best in preventive and primary care for residents.

“The main message coming out of this building will be that we can help you stay well and get well,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, deputy director Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

After nearly two years of construction, the $172 million-county-run center will begin serving the public on June 17. With approximately 70 specialty clinics offering a range of services from pediatric and obstetric care to orthopedics and neurology, the Outpatient Center is an important component of the county’s plan to deliver quality primary care and preventive services to keep people healthy.

There are five operating rooms for outpatient surgical procedures, in addition to rehabilitation services and a wide array of diagnostic services. The urgent care center will operate seven days a week, 16 hours-a-day for urgent needs.

New MLK Outpatient Center

South LA Kids Bike Festival

Join us for a Free Kids Skills and Safety Festival! Learn how to ride your bike safely, start and stop properly, avoid hazards, yielding, ride an obstacle course and more! We’ll even have a limited supply of bikes and helmets for those without.

Fun for all ages.
Skills stations.
On-street group rides.
Certificates and goody bags.
Bike wash.
Helmet giveaways.
Food!

Helmets required for all riders.

Bike Tune ups by El Maestro Bicycle Shop

Presented by Walk ‘n Rollers and LACBC.

Made possible by the USC Good Neighbors Campaign http://goodneighbors.usc.edu/, an employee-giving program that supports university-community partnerships.

http://www.la-bike.org/USCGoodNeighborsGrant

Convey Your Opinion On Kaisers Marlton Square Development

Last week I attend a Crenshaw/Baldwin Hills community meeting focusing on the ‘coming soon’ Kaiser Permenante Medical Offices planned for a portion of Marlton Square.  There were alot of mixed emotions regarding the development, mainly on making sure the building is aesthetically appealing to the community.  Now you will have to email Damien Goodmon to get the details exactly but from what I was able to derive the plans that were/are being consider actually do not adhere to, I forget what the actual name was but basically a specific plan that lays out how development is to be done in ‘The District’.  Like I said, don’t quote, but its something to that degree.  I know a major problem that community touched upon was the large open space in the middle of the development VS the amount of parking lots.  One of the main arguements was that the green space should be in front of the building, with the building and two side parking lots pushed back.  Well take a look at the plans and formulate your opinions, then email them to Kaiser Permenante Project Representative, Skyler Denniston, Skyler.X.Denniston@kp.org.

‘

Kaiser Permenante Marlton Square Development Plan

Baldwin Hills Relay 4 Life

 Relay For Life of Baldwin Hills 24 Hour Cancer Walk, June 21 @ 9AM 5401 Fairfax Avenue, LA 90056 (Between Slauson & Stocker St.). We honor & Celebrate cancer survivors, Remember those affected by cancer and those who lost the battle and learn ways to Fight Back against cancer in our community.  Relay Fof Life is an organized, overnight community fundraising walk.  Teams of people camp out around a track and members of each team take turns walking around the track in honor of loved ones and friends battling cancer or survied cancer.  The day is filled with family-friendly food, games and activities providing entertainment and build camaraderie  Because it’s a team event, individual participants are not required to be there the entire time. But it’s so much fun, you’ll find it hard to leave!

Baldwin Hills 2014 Flyer

What is Relay 4 Life

‘A Night At The Forum’

The Forum in Inglewood had not officially reopened on Monday evening, January 13. Yet, the iconic venue has already helped raise millions of dollars to fight pancreatic cancer.  The Forum in Inglewood hosted “A Night At The Forum” to benefit The Lustgarten Foundation, the nation’s largest nonprofit funder of pancreatic cancer research.

It was the Inaugural West Coast fundraising gala for the Lustgarten Foundation, marking the first event held at the reinvented “Fabulous” Forum.

The sold-out gala fundraiser raised more than $12.5 million. This included nearly $2.5 million that will go directly to supporting The Lustgarten Foundation’s efforts to detect the disease earlier, develop better treatments, and ultimately, find a cure.

Stand Up To Cancer also announced that one of its funding partners would commit an additional $10 million to help support the ongoing fight to beat this lethal disease.  And because Cablevision Systems Corporation, The Madison Square Garden Company and AMC Networks agreed to underwrite the event, all proceeds raised from ‘A Night at The Forum’ are going directly to pancreatic cancer research.

$12.5 Million Raised For Pancreatic Cancer at the Newly Renovated Forum

A Night At The Forum

Victory Garden Blooms in West Athtens

The West Athens Victory Garden, which takes its name from the World War II-era campaign that encouraged thousands of Americans to grow their own food, has replaced an empty lot that was once blighted the neighborhood. The garden features 30 raised garden beds, which residents applied for, it boasts fruit trees, a play structure for children, a walking path along the entire perimeter and a rainwater cistern, that will catch as much as 1700 gallons of water annually—enough to provide water for most of the fruit trees that have been planted in the garden.  Much of the garden was built for kids.

Victory Gardens in West Athens

Free Medical, Dental, And Vision

Hundreds of Doctors, Dentist, and Optometrist will be at the Los Angeles Sports Arena October 31 – November 3 to serve the citizen of South Los Angeles.  Cleanings, fillings, eye exams, immunizations, women health and other procedures will all be offered.  You must posses a wrist band that will be given out October 28th at the Los Angeles Sports arena.

Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas Bringing Medical, Dental and Vision For Free to South LA Residents