Long Beach, CA — August 13, 2021 Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) has partnered with another nonprofit Books and Buckets (B&B) this summer to roll out its State Farm Next Gen Engagement Advocacy Grant to engage kids in a conversation on community development and advocacy.
The State Farm Next Gen Engagement Advocacy Grant in conjunction with Habitat LA’s Cost of Home Campaign works to encourage youth to advocate for a brighter future in their Washington Neighborhood community. Specifically, they are supporting more affordable housing, and increased access to community opportunities. Books and Buckets, with the help of Habitat LA, provided over 25 neighborhood youth the opportunity to hear from community representatives at the local, state, and federal level, including school board and city council members, State Senator Lena Gonzalez, Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, and Congressmember Alan Lowenthal. Participants were encouraged to use their voice to effect positive change in their community.
“It’s about time we had a youth program of this caliber in our neighborhood,” shared David McGill, Project Director of Books and Buckets. “We want our youth to have their voices heard, and giving them a space to do that in front of their elected leaders does exactly that.”
“More bathrooms in our parks”, “cleaner courts”, and “more security” are just a few changes Books and Buckets youth members have mentioned in written letters to officials that they’d like to see in their community. Thanks to the generous $5,000 donation from State Farm, those letters will reach the hands of said officials.
By supporting youth advocacy engagement, State Farm aims to build stronger, safer neighborhoods by inviting young leaders to contribute to their communities by learning more about housing needs and getting directly involved with service initiatives and advocacy.
“Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles is proud to partner with Books and Buckets and State Farm to provide young leaders in the Washington Neighborhood with the tools that they need to help build a stronger, more resilient community. Young people are invested in the future of our cities, and we are committed to helping them effectively use their voices to communicate their vision.” said Erin Rank, Habitat LA President & CEO.
Books and Buckets Youth Academy ended their summer program on August 7th. The graduation ceremony featured a special host, Councilwoman Mary Zendejas, who presented certificates from her District 1 office and the Long Beach Mayor’s Office to each youth member.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. As a top nonprofit residential homebuilder in the greater Los Angeles area, Habitat LA partners with volunteers, donors and Habitat homeowners to build, renovate and repair homes throughout Los Angeles County for more than 30 years. Habitat LA uses a Neighborhood Revitalization model to not only build homes, but the communities surrounding them. Habitat LA has achieved a Charity Navigator 4-Star rating for nine consecutive years and the Platinum GuideStar status for transparency. To learn more, visit www.habitatla.org.
About State Farm
The mission of State Farm is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance in the United States. Its 19,200 agents and 59,000 employees serve approximately 84 million policies and accounts – over 81 million auto, fire, life, health and commercial policies and over 2 million financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 36 on the 2020 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit www.statefarm.com.
About Books and Buckets
Books and Buckets is a nonprofit, youth empowerment academy in the Washington Neighbored of Long Beach dedicated to supporting Long Beach, CA youth ages 11-18 in achieving a fulfilling academic and athletic lifestyle. Books and Buckets offers free basketball academy, guided reading and comprehension help, and mentorship aimed to provide student-athletes with the technical and literary skills to perform on the court, in the classroom, and beyond. For more information, please visit www.booksandbuckets.org.
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Media Contact:
Francesca DiBrito
C: 310-738-2035
fdibrito@habitatla.org