OUR CHILDREN LA
PO BOX 676, PACIFIC PALISADES, CA 902720676 ourchildrenla.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: OUR COMMUNITY LA LEVERAGES TECHNOLOGY TO CONNECT YOUTH, FAMILIES AND ADULTS IN NEED OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESS TO EASILY CONNECT TO ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. FOUNDED BY DENISE MCCAIN-THARNSTROM AND A FEW VOLUNTEERS WHO BELIEVED THAT NO ONE, ESPECIALLY A YOUNG PERSON, OR FAMILY, DESERVES TO BE HUNGRY OR WITHOUT A ROOF, OCLA IS COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ENVISIONS A WORLD IN WHICH NO ONE WILL BE UNHOUSED OR RESOURCE-INSECURE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIND HELP. THOSE WHO ARE WITHOUT HOUSING OR WHO ARE IN NEED OF ESSENTIAL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES WILL KNOW THAT THEY ARE VALUED, THEIR DIGNITY AND PRIVACY ARE RESPECTED AND THAT THEY HAVE THE POWER TO SEARCH FOR AND CHOOSE THE HELP THEY NEED TO BUILD A LIFE OUT OF POVERTY OR ABUSE. UNDERSTANDING THAT THE HOMELESS AND RESOURCE-INSECURE HAVE SMART PHONES (THANKS IN PART TO THE FEDERAL LIFELINE PROGRAM), OCLA USES TECHNOLOGY TO DIRECTLY SERVE THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT RISK WITH ITS FREE PROGRAMS: THE USER-FRIENDLY MOBILE APPLICATI

OUR CHILDREN LA (OCLA) IS A VOLUNTEER-LED, 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION THAT LEVERAGES TECHNOLOGY FOR SOCIAL GOOD FOR THE BENEFIT OF HOMELESS AND NEARLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS. USING MOBILE COMMUNICATION AND WEB-BASED RESOURCES, OCLA EMPOWERS HOMELESS AND AT-RISK YOUTH, FAMILIES AND ADULTS TO FACILITATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES. OCLA DELIVERS THREE PRIMARY PROGRAMS PURPOSEFULLY DESIGNED TO ENABLE HOMELESS AND HOUSING-INSECURE PERSONS OF ALL AGES TO EASILY CONNECT TO NEEDED LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS: 1) THE FREE WIN WHAT I NEED MOBILE APP, WHICH EMPOWERS VULNERABLE AND RESOURCE INSECURE INDIVIDUALS TO LOCATE THE SERVICES THEY NEED TO BUILD A LIFE OUT OF POVERTY. WIN, DESIGNED WITH THE SUPPORT OF LA'S HOMELESS, IS TRULY "HELP IN THE PALM OF ONE'S HAND." IT PROVIDES EASY ACCESS TO OVER 2,000 LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE THE UNHOUSED, HOUSING-INSECURE AND RESOURCE-INSECURE OF ALL AGES, AS WELL AS SEND USERS ALERTS ABOUT IMPORTANT COMMUNITY SERVICES AND EVENT WITH THE GOAL HELPING THEM TO FIND

WIN WHAT I NEED IS A FREE MOBILE APPLICATION DESIGNED TO EMPOWER REGIONAL HOMELESS OR RESOURCE-INSECURE YOUTH, (AGES 12-25), FAMILIES AND ADULTS TO CONNECT TO 12 CATEGORIES OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. FIRST RELEASED IN THE GOOGLEPLAY AND ITUNES STORES IN NOVEMBER 2015, WIN ORIGINALLY SERVED YOUTH ONLY (AGES 12-24). IN 2018 WIN WAS EXPANDED TO SERVE ALL AGES AND REDESIGNED WITH THE SUPPORT OF A TEAM OF LOCAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPERS. WIN NOW EMPOWERS USERS OF ANY AGE TO CONNECT TO PROGRAMS THAT THEY CAN WALK INTO WITHOUT A REFERRAL AND ALSO SENDS USERS HELPFUL ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT HELPFUL, FREE COMMUNITY EVENTS. WIN SUPPORTS THE EFFORTS OF ANYONE IN NEED TO LOCATE ESSENTIAL RESOURCES, USING TECHNOLOGY THAT PEOPLE TODAY TRUST, CELL PHONES AND THE INTERNET. (THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS UNDER 40 HAS SMART PHONES AND CAN ACCESS THE INTERNET USING WI-FI. FREE WI-FI IS WIDELY AVAILABLE AT LIBRARIES AND COFFEE SHOPS IN LA COUNTY.) EVERY VERSION OF WIN HAS BEEN BUILT WITH THE GUIDANCE AND INPUT OF REGIONAL HOMELESS YOUTH AND ADULTS. THIS SEARCHABLE APPLICATION CURRENTLY OPERATES IN LA COUNTY, OFFERING INFORMATION AND LIVE CONNECTIONS TO OVER 2000 AREA PROGRAMS PROVIDING FOOD, SHELTER, HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH, LEGAL, DROP-IN/ACCESS CENTERS, JOBS, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT BENEFITS, HOTLINES, CRISIS SUPPORTS AND MORE. A WEB VERSION OF WIN IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR FREE USE ON THE OCLA WEBSITE. WIN HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE TOP 3 RESOURCES FOR LA'S HOMELESS YOUTH AND IS FEATURED ON THE LA HOMELESS SERVICES AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE.COUNTYWIDE PARTNERS WHO PROMOTE WIN TO THEIR CLIENTS INCLUDE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM, THE REGIONAL HOUSING SERVICES AUTHORITY, LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND UNIVERSITIES. WIN AND OCLA ARE RECOGNIZED IN THE NATIONAL CENTER ON HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY DIRECTORY. HONORS INCLUDE ROTARY STAR AWARD, "KNOWLEDGE SHARING" , OPERATION CHILDREN HUMANITARIAN OF YEAR AWARDS (TO FOUNDER FOR DEVELOPMENT OF WIN), AND RECEIPT OF THE CALIFORNIA SENATE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AS WELL AS A COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES COMMENDATION . MANY PROVIDERS REQUIRE THEIR STAFF AND/OR CLIENTS TO DOWNLOAD WIN BECAUSE IT IS THE BEST RESOURCE ACCESS TOOL IN THE COUNTY. WIN IS SCALABLE AND DESIGNED WITH THE CAPACITY TO ADD AND SERVE OTHER REGIONS. WIN'S MOST IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENT HOWEVER IS THAT STREET YOUTH AND ADULTS HAVE TOLD US THAT WIN EMPOWERS THEM TO FIND HELP, OFFERS HOPE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ITS VERY EXISTENCE MAKES THEM FEEL VALUED AND WORTHY OF SUPPORT.

OCLA'S 2019 250-PAGE DIRECTORY OF SERVICES FOR LA'S HOMELESS LISTS RESOURCES THAT CAN BE ACCESSED DIRECTLY BY ANYONE IN NEED WITHOUT PRESCREENING OR REFERRAL. IT IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS A RESOURCE AND REFERRAL GUIDE FOR OUTREACH WORKERS, LIBRARIANS, EDUCATORS AND OTHERS WHO MAY ENCOUNTER A HOMELESS PERSON. THE DIRECTORY OF SERVICES MAY BE FOUND IN EVERY LA CITY LIBRARY, IN SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTY AS WELL AS ON THE OCLA, LACOE AND CITY AND COUNTY LIBRARY WEBSITES. THE DIRECTORY IS ACTIVELY PROMOTED/USED BY THE HOMELESS LIAISONS WITHIN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY WITH THE ACTIVE SUPPORT OF THE LA COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION.

WWW.OURCHILDRENLA.ORG IS A SEMINAL "GO-TO" REGIONAL WEBSITE WITH A RESOURCE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTER FOR REGIONAL HOMELESS ADVOCATES, POLICYMAKERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, YOUTH AND OTHERS. ITS GOALS ARE TO IMPROVE LOCAL UNDERSTANDING AND DRIVE REGIONAL CHANGE EFFORTS TO BETTER SUPPORT THE CRITICAL NEEDS OF LOS ANGELES AREA HOMELESS PERSONS. THE WEBSITE CURRENTLY INCLUDES AN INFORMATION CENTER, A NEWS CENTER, RESEARCH CENTER, AND A COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER. IMPORTANTLY IS ALSO HOSTS THE 2019 DIRECTORY FOR SERVICES FOR HOMELESS AND HOSTS THE WEB VERSION OF THE WIN: WHAT I NEED - MOBILE APP.

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Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (public 990 form dataset) from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202033189349310878_public.xml