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.