YWCA Santa Monica/Westside Housing and Education Program
The YWCA Santa Monica/Westside Housing and Education Program will use our $8,601.36 grant to purchase new computers and appliances for their home. The YWCA Santa Monica/Westside has a residential facility for former foster girls. When they reach 18, these young women are considered emancipated and are often kicked out of their homes, with no place to go and no family to help them. At the Housing and Education Program, the girls are provided a safe place to live, food, social support, and services for up to 2 ½ years while they attend school, work part time, save for their future, and attend life skills classes. All the residents are between 18 and 22, and reflect the many diverse ethnic groups living in Los Angeles. The focus of the program is education and residents are guided and encouraged to obtain experience necessary to live successfully on their own. New appliances will support the operation of a well functioning home and the computers will provide a necessary study/work room, with full internet access.