LEARNChildren's Clothing Giveaway, Inc.
CCG is a non-profit that collects new and gently used children's clothing, toys, books et al to redistribute to those in need. We are the link between those who want to give and those who need to receive. CCG is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the state of California and has been classified as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code. The organization is exempt from both state and federal taxes; our tax ID number is 81-4443497.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Support for Foster and Systems-Impacted Youth
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
County of Los Angeles
City of Los Angeles
LAUSD
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Expand existing project, program, or initiative
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
Many of the children that we support through our services are in foster family households. We understand that foster placement can sometimes be very temporary, but we allow foster parents to schedule appointments to come in and collect clothing and other items for the children that they care for. Oftentimes when these children are placed in the foster care system, they arrive with little or no personal items. By allowing the foster parents to collect items for them, we are able to provide a small dose of stability for these children.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
Our organization has served the Los Angeles community for almost ten years. In the past, on average, 250 men, women and children benefited at each of our bi-annual giveaways, totaling approximately 750 people each year. Now that we are able to take weekly appointments at our location, those numbers continue to rise. We have assisted thousands of children of all ages in low income, displaced, and foster families throughout the Los Angeles area. This grant will support the expansion and upkeep of our brick and mortar location, so that we can continue to take and fulfill the needs of each family at our individual appointments.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
Fortunately, our work has already been successful in that we have assisted hundreds of low and middle income Los Angeles families, who just needed a helping hand at some of the most vulnerable times in their lives. By providing the support that we do, these families can use the funds freed up to pay for things like rent, groceries and gas. On the other hand, we've just started to explore and catalogue the enormous efforts we have made over the years in keeping hundreds of thousands of pounds of clothing and other items out of California landfills, lining us up to become a California Green Company in the near future.
What evidence do you have that this project, program, or initiative is or will be successful, and how will you define and measure success?
Similar to what was mentioned above, we measure our impact by the amount (and the value) of items we gift each week at our weekly appointments. In addition, when WE donate (adult clothing) to other organizations such as the Los Angeles Rescue Mission, they provide us with a record of how many pounds of clothing we pass on to them, which supports the homeless community.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 1,000
Indirect Impact: 5,000