MY FRIEND’S PLACE NEWSLETTER vol 2, Issue 60
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Team Up with
My Friend’s Place!
A year ago June, we reported that Kobe and
Vanessa Bryant visited MFP to announce
their new strategic initiative addressing youth
homelessness. The Kobe and Vanessa Bryant
Family Foundation (KVBFF) is dedicated to
improving the lives of children and families
in need. This week, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant
again visited My Friend’s Place. This time it
was to announce the completed large-scale
renovations their generosity helped bring to
MFP’s Resource Center for homeless youth!
we all had dreams, we all had goals, we
all had aspirations, and for them not to
have that, it’s just not fair. We have to do
something about it.”
If you have ever visited MFP, you know
that we make use of every single inch of our
beloved building. But our center was in dire
need of repairs, and our capacity to serve so
many young people had been a challenge for
some time. The project has brought some
extraordinary changes to our center, and made
a significant difference in our day-to-day
work.
Menemsha Solutions was integral to
the transformation at MFP. As our
general contractor, they ensured that the
young people’s service needs weren’t
compromised by the construction. They
worked tirelessly on nights and weekends
to complete the project. We’d also like
to honor our additional renovation
supporters: Eric Garcetti, Aileen Getty,
Mark and Donna MacDonald, Sheryl
Sandberg and David Goldberg, Don
and Ginger Ressler, Supervisor Zev
Yaroslavsky, Ashley Furniture,
MFP’s board of directors, SherwinWilliams and Vitamin Water. We
couldn’t have done it without you!
Kobe and Vanessa’s work - aptly characterized
by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky as the “right
thing to do” - is inspired by an awareness that
the youth MFP works with didn’t grow up
with the same opportunities that Kobe had.
Kobe shared: “Kids touch all of our hearts;
On behalf of the MFP staff and
board of directors as well as the
Hollywood community, thank you, Kobe and
Vanessa, for everything you have done to
improve our ability to serve these youth! Your
kindness not only ensures that more youth
In Kind Wishlist
In order to meet the daily needs of the young people who
depend on MFP, we still need your help. Here are some of
our most urgent in-kind needs:
Backpacks/duffel bags
c New blankets
c New or gently used clothing
and shoes
c School supplies (notebooks,
folders, planners)
c Bus tokens or Metro TAP
cards
c
Toiletries (deodorant,
shampoo, body wash)
c Calling cards
c Umbrellas
c Gift cards for stores or fast
food restaurants
c Parenting supplies
c
have access to a hot shower; most
importantly, it imparts compassion
to these young people who desperately need
someone to care. We are proud that you are
part of our family!
Wishes Fulfilled
Due largely to the generous support of the KVBFF and Menemsha,
many of our structural wishes have been fulfilled! MFP is happy to
announce the following renovations:
R New windows and doors throughout agency
R Industrial-grade plumbing
R A third family restroom (ADA-compliant w/ baby changing table)
R New flooring and carpets throughout agency
R New custom-built front desk and storage spaces
R New paint throughout agency
R Beautified offices and staff space
R Three times more daily shower capacity
R New tables, chairs and couches by Ashley Furniture
And much more....
For questions or to schedule a drop-off, please contact our Development Office at development@myfriendsplace.org or 323-908-0011 x116
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Co-Presidents
Rod Barr
Writer/Producer
Dexter Williams
Senior Vice President
American Funds Distributors, Inc.
Secretary
Michael Oates Palmer
Writer
Treasurer
Chuck Freadhoff
Vice President
American Funds Distributors, Inc
Directors
Kevin Beggs
President of Production and Television
Programming
Lionsgate
Joanie Berkley
Owner
Berkley Design
Ann Develin Blanchard
Agent, CAA
Lylle Breier
SVP Worldwide Special Events
and El Capitan Theater
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
George Davis
CEO
Hotchkis & Wiley
Jay Faires
President
JFE
David Goldhill
President and CEO
Game Show Network
Cheryl Hayward
Community Member
David Lara
Chief Technology Officer
Hotchkis & Wiley
Tom Lloyd
Investment Analyst
Capital International Research, Inc.
Rob Long
Staley/Long Productions
Dr. Roberta Madison
Professor Emeritus
CSU, Northridge
Toni Morgan
Executive VP
Techera
Dana Sims
Agent
ICM Talent
Mimi Won Techentin
Writer
Ivan Tether
Attorney
Tether Law
Scott Walker
President
Brain Candy, LLC
JP Williams
CEO
Parallel Entertainment
STAFF LIST
Heather Carmichael, LCSW
Executive Director
Dear Friends:
A Note from the Executive Director
Hello Dear Friends:
I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and beauty of the changing seasons!
As we transition into fall, allow me to reflect upon summer and share our
excitement about the coming season. For MFP, the summertime represents new
beginnings; it’s the time when we close out our fiscal year and look ahead to
what the next year holds for the organization and the youth we serve. As our
country continues to face challenging economic times, I feel so grateful to be
able to report that we witnessed incredible generosity from our community
throughout the last fiscal year—from the in-kind supplies and hundreds of volunteer hours, to the financial support that
keeps our doors open to the young people who count on us.
Over the last twelve months, we were able to meet the needs of 1,673 young people in our safe haven where
opportunities for well-being and self-sufficiency await them. My Friend’s Place is committed to ushering these youth
into transformational opportunities. Earlier this year, we were so fortunate to receive generous support to transform our
facility. These renovations afford us a more welcoming and safe environment for the young people who rely on us as a
place of daily refuge.
I can’t wait to share all of this with you at our Open House on October 20! If you have been a longtime supporter
of MFP, come see the new space and check out all of the exciting programs we’re offering. For those that don’t know
us well, this is the perfect time to see what goes on inside our walls and hear what we’re all about. Please join us!
Alongside the incredible structural renovations, we completed a strategic plan, and have begun implementing a refined
service model. This includes a greater investment in early intervention and intensive, individualized case management
planning, with an enhanced intake process to more effectively engage youth who have had difficulty connecting
elsewhere.
Finally, we’re gearing up to celebrate our quarter century anniversary over the next year. As we continue to
care for some of the city’s most underrepresented and overlooked youth, we rely on a strong support system of friends,
partners, investors, volunteers and staff that have been crucial to our ability to serve the young people for the past 24
years. Without these community ties, My Friend’s Place would not be able to serve nearly half of Los Angeles’
homeless young people each year!
Thank you for continuing to partner with us and our community. I look forward to a banner year
for MFP and the young people we serve. Here’s to 25 years!
Warmly,
Frank M. Babich
Direct Services Program Manager
Camilla Brannstrom, MFA
Special Projects Manager
Pablo Balderas
Case Manager
Kelsey Brennan
Direct Services Counselor
Erin Casey, LCSW
Clinical Director
Alex Catibayan
Direct Service JVC Intern
Kristine Chavez, MSW
Clinical Case Worker
Stephanie Gallegos
Senior Direct Services Counselor
Alexis McLeod, Esq.
Director of Development
Gina Murdock, LCSW
Clinical Case Worker
Stephanie Pennacchia
Special Projects JVC Intern
Cristina Ramos
Education and Employment Specialist
Natalie Schaffer
Development Associate
Nick Taylor, MPH
Training and Evaluation Manager
Taylor Wilkerson
Administrative Coordinator
Heather Carmichael, LCSW
Open Heart,
Open House
Please join us for a celebration of our newly
renovated Safe Haven for homeless youth
October 20th from 3 to 6 pm
For details and rsvp, please contact
Natalie Schaffer at ext. 101 or
nschaffer@myfriendsplace.org.
Check out MFP’s
New Web Home!
We are so proud of our new website - it’s more navigable,
interactive, and will help you learn much more about Who We Are,
Who We Serve, How We Serve, our wonderful supporters, and most
importantly, how you can get involved!
Please take a few moments to click around and explore our new
site; we hope you’ll be impressed! We will be updating and posting
often, so please add us to your toolbar or drop by frequently to stay
current on all things MFP!
MFP by the
Numbers
MFP is proud to share last year’s outcomes:
• 1,673 young people served
• 19,932 meals provided
• 1,380 youths participated in creative arts and educational
programming
• 711 youths linked to medical care
• 382 youths received therapeutic case management services
• 113 youths achieved housing stability
• 119 young people received substance abuse counseling and
referrals
• 58 young parents received parenting support
• 50 young people attained employment
Volunteer!
Make a Difference:
My Friend’s Place needs you!
Download a volunteer application
at www.myfriendsplace.org or
call Taylor Wilkerson at
(323) 908-0011 x116.
Celebrating MFP
with OVO from
Cirque de Solei!
On January 27, MFP and Cirque du Soleil
(CDS) shared an evening
of magic and amazement
with over 250 friends
and supporters. The VIP
Reception at Pacific Park
on The Santa Monica
Pier was an enormous
success, highlighting our
vibrant partnership with
CDS. Guests enjoyed food,
cocktails and entertainment
before heading over to
the big top to behold the
wonderment of OVO.. We are
so grateful to be able to share
such incredible performances
with friends and supporters.
Thank you to our:
Acrobat Sponsor:
Juggler Sponsors:
The Barr Foundation
Joanie Berkley
Ann Blanchard
Joy Swift & Richard Johnson
Toni & Tom Morgan
Event Partners:
Special Thank Yous:
Joanie Berkley (floral arrangements)
DJ Ian Gotler
Nathalie Yves Gaulthier & Le Petit Cirque
Lexx Staats & Sasha Glasser (face painting)
Cirque du Monde Team
Philip Solomon & Way 2 Much Entertainment
MFP Volunteers
Non-profit org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
P.O. Box 3867
Hollywood, CA 90078
Los Angeles, CA
Permit No. 3344
323.908.0011
myfriendsplace.org 888.YOUTH-50
Community Cultivation Events
This year we are encouraging
our board of directors,
partners and friends to raise
awareness and visibility with
cultivation events throughout
the community. Since our
supporters are our greatest
ambassadors, these events
introduce us to new friends
and raise needed support for
our homeless youth Resource
Center. We’ve enjoyed rock
concerts, dance parties,
benefit haircuts, trivia nights,
hikes, yoga classes, date
nights, food truck events,
cocktail parties and other
celebrations benefiting the
youth. Thank you to our
friends and community for
giving MFP a home among
the sights and stars of
Hollywood.
Hollywood Hike
British Pub Trivia HRTS
PAL Gala
Masse Event
Join our e-list today!
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MFP. We will never share your contact information with anyone.
Sign up today and stay connected at www.myfriendsplace.org.
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MFPLA.