report2020.lasbest.orgLA's BEST 2020 Annual Report | EXPLORE. ENGAGE. EXPAND.

Impact Supporters Financials Donate ANNUAL REPORT 2019 - 2020 Cultivating Community Connections Chris Dusseault, Chair of the Board of Directors I hope you and your family are healthy and staying connected. I want to thank you for trusting and supporting LA’s BEST, especially this past fiscal year. Our year started strong, and we thank you for facing the unprecedented challenges of 2020 with us. Each one of us feels the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet economically distressed neighborhoods — where LA’s BEST works – have been the hardest hit. This disproportionate impact stems from the systemic racial and economic inequity throughout our society, and LA’s BEST strives to combat and overcome these disparities. We recognize the connectedness of our community and believe that fighting for equity and change is important work for all of us. The children served by LA’s BEST deserve to have the same opportunities, the same health, and the same safety as children anywhere else in our country. During the first half of the academic year, we continued offering students activities to enrich their lives. The 2019-2020 annual report below provides a slice of the enrichment activities we provided. Equipped with these opportunities generally only afforded to the affluent, students have the foundation to succeed in school and in life. On March 13, 2020, everything changed when schools closed. I am proud of the way LA’s BEST shifted to meet the immediate needs of our community. Driven by our foundational values , we turned our focus to providing the services and basic essentials that our children and their families need in this time of unprecedented crisis. We also used this time to develop an even stronger workforce, better equipped to support our students and families, both today and once we emerge from the current crisis. On behalf of all my fellow Board Members, thank you for enabling LA’s BEST to do what we do best: care for the children of Los Angeles and work towards equity. Together, we are cultivating community connections to serve all Angelenos. + more - less Eric Gurna, President and CEO The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” These days, I am often reminded of this quote by Coretta Scott King — it feels like a reminder of who we are. The LA’s BEST community includes not only our 2,000 staff members and our 25,000 students, but also their families, neighbors, and fellow Angelenos. Since the pandemic, I’ve grown more aware of this powerful interconnectedness. And while I am constantly reminded of the disproportionate impact the crisis has had on the families we serve, I’ve been inspired by our community’s spirit and strength. One new connection, as of March 14th: LA’s BEST staff members are working at Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Grab & Go Food Distribution Centers where families can pick up free food, and other necessities. We are proud to be a part of the LAUSD Beyond the Bell Branch, and are grateful for their leadership. We are all beyond grateful to the LAUSD/LA’s BEST Operations Team. Led by Chief Operating Officer Debe Loxton, they have truly gone above and beyond to meet community needs with tremendous compassion and fortitude. We’re also communicating with LA’s BEST families virtually through our new platform, LA’s BEST Connects . Building upon decades of personal relationship-building within the communities we serve, LA’s BEST is proud to continue our role as a trusted source of information and encouragement. Meanwhile, our entire community is going through a tremendous amount of stress due to the pandemic and economic related hardships. In response, we are providing remote professional development for our staff that focuses on wellbeing and mental health. This training enables our staff to create caring environments for social and emotional growth when programming resumes. Lastly, I’m proud that LA’s BEST is part of the movement for racial justice. LA’s BEST has always fought barriers to access and opportunities. We are committed to the movement to dismantle structural inequality and systemic racism, and in the short term have created a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee to guide us through the process of reforming our own practices and culture. While the COVID-19 crisis has altered life as we know it, it has also provided an opportunity to reimagine how expanded learning can meet our city’s changing needs. These creative solutions come from the community — and from the compassionate actions that define who we are. + more - less LA’s BEST July 1, 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) to March 13, 2020 Every school day, from the time the school bell rings until 6pm, each LA’s BEST student receives a nutritious meal, help with their homework and the opportunity to participate in a wide array of enrichment activities. LA’s BEST engages children creatively, emotionally, intellectually and physically, empowering them to explore and discover the opportunities in their lives. We inspire and prepare children to create lives full of choices. 200 schools in neighborhoods with the highest needs yet fewest resources 25,000 students 90% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch 2,000 staff who are mostly 18-25, who predominantly live in a neighborhood served by LA’s BEST March 14 to June 30, 2020 When schools closed for in-person teaching, we had to abruptly halt our robust enrichment programming and focus on meeting the community’s immediate needs and cultivating connections with our students, families and staff. We pivoted to supporting the LAUSD Beyond The Bell Grab & Go Food Distribution Centers; maintaining a connection between staff and students by creating online engagement via LA’s BEST Connects ; and increasing staff training. We were unable to run our 2020 summer program for students; instead, staff worked at the Grab & Go Food Distribution Centers, participated in online workforce development, and worked in teams to plan for how we would support children and families in a radically altered educational landscape when the new school year begins. 2,000 staff participated in training through our online Learning Management System. 68 resources + 24 videos LA’s BEST Connects includes 68 curated resources and 24 videos produced by staff. 800 staff worked at the LAUSD BTB Grab & Go Food Distribution Centers. Workforce Development: Our Team is Everything July 1, 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) to March 13, 2020 LA’s BEST developed a training series that provides a solid foundation for staff to build authentic connections and run quality programs rooted in trauma-informed practices and social-emotional learning. 300 staff participated in three 3.5-hour leadership workshops: Leading the LA’s BEST Way; Making a Difference: Coaching; and Programming at LA’s BEST. 600 staff attended the Caring Lens & Building Relationships training session, which covers: applying a trauma-resilient lens, incorporating sensitivities to the impact of trauma on the brain, and learning strategies to support youth in developing resilience. 300 staff received training to effectively engage students in intentional physical activity. March 14 to June 30, 2020 When schools closed, we had to quickly shift to a new and uncertain paradigm. Immediately, we helped staff by providing self-care resources and relevant online training. We worked with staff to connect with our students through educational and fun resources via LA’s BEST Connects . We also prioritized social and emotional awareness in light of the new and heightened challenges our staff, students and families are facing. LA’s BEST staff will be on the frontlines of supporting young children when they return to school, and we made sure our team will be ready. 231 new resources for staff to help them respond to the impact of COVID-19. 1,000 staff used the internal Learning Management System for an average of 3.5 hours Monday through Friday....