I M P A C T R E P O R T

ALEJANDRA

Meet

COO-PERA

What's Next

MULTIPLIED

Your Impact

I S S U E 0 1 • A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 • @elaccorg

ELACC STARS After School Program

Monthly MobileFood Pantry

Every year, we have something to accomplish at EastLA Community Corporation (ELACC.) For every newdevelopment, we receive about 3,000 applications,often for a 50 unit development. Which is why I can’t tell you how much I appreciateyour support for our life changing work. Here at East LA Community Corporation, we proposetangible solutions to combating the negative effects ofgentrification—displacement, and corporatedevelopment without community involvement—throughour comprehensive programs and services. While we serve 6,000 people annually through theseprograms and services, we know we can do more. As we've grown, we've evolved and implemented a newthree-year strategic plan that deepens internalorganization alignment to have long-term target goalswith key areas of focus, and strengthens ourinterdepartmental collaboration. We've set an aggressive goal, to double the amountof people we serve by 2020, our 25th anniversary. Your generous donations and support go a long way tohelping us change the trajectory of entire families andcreate a world where housing is a human right. We created this impact report to show you just howmuch of an impact you have in the lives of the peoplewe serve. Here's to accomplishing more together nowand into the future. With gratitude, Isela Gracian, President

To advocate fo r economic and

soc ia l j u s t i ve i n Boy le He igh t s

and Eas t Lo s Ange les by bu i l d i ng

g ras s roo t s l eade r sh ip , deve lop ing

a f fo rdab le hous i ng and

ne ighbo rhood as se t s , and

p rov id i ng access to economic

deve lopment oppo r tun i t i e s fo r

l ow and modera te i ncome

fam i l i e s .  

M I S S I O N

We env i s i on a commun i t y whe re

eve r yone l i ve s w i th oppo r tun i t y ,

d ign i t y , and au tonomy .  

V I S I O N

O U R V A L U E SHEART - COMMUNITY - INNOVAT ION - ACCOUNTAB I L I TY

- INCLUS IVE - RES I L I ENCE - JUST ICE

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAY'S

On December 22, 2017, Alejandra Flores and her twodaughters received the keys to their brand newapartment in Cielito Lindo, East LA CommunityCorporation's newest affordable housing development.

"I WILL NEVER FORGET THE DAY THEY

HANDED OVER THE KEYS, IT'S A

MOMENT NO ONE WILL BE ABLE TO

TAKE AWAY FROM ME,"

said Alejandra. Alejandra was looking for a place with affordable rentand enough space for three people which to herseemed impossible to find. For years she shared astudio with her two daughters and just happened tohear about East LA Community Corporation from afriend. As soon as she heard applications were openfor a new development, she applied. "Living in affordable housing is a blessing. You don'trealize the dramatic change that occurs in your day today life," Alejandra says. "I notice a difference in myrelationship with my daughters even in the way wespend time together." Alejandra recalls having to choose between rent andother expenses. "I never wanted to be late or short onthe rent, so I had to take away from my food budgetand we sometimes went without," she says. "I spentmy days stressed just thinking about making thepayment at the end of every month."

P A G E 0 2

In the future, Alejandra will join our First TimeHome-buyer Workshop, because one of herdreams is owning a home. said Alejandra. Our partnerships, gifts, and support from youhelp make Cielito Lindo not just a reality, but aplace of hope.

"THE HELP THAT WE RECEIVE

FROM THIS APARTMENT IS A

BLESSING, A STEP TOWARD

SUCCESS, AND AN IMMENSE

HELP," SAYS ALEJANDRA. "IT IS

MY HOPE THAT OTHER PEOPLE

GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO

EXPERIENCE IT."  

"I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL TO THE PEOPLETHAT HELPED BUILD CIELITO LINDO.

THEY HAD THE VISION AND THE GRACE TOHELP FAMILIES LIKE MINE HAVE A HOME. IN THE FUTURE, I TOO WILL HELP OTHERS,

BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY MOREIN NEED."

A L E J A N D R A F L O R E S

P A G E 0 3

Because of you in 2018...

362 individuals served with financial counseling

Individuals on average increased savings & wealth by $800

Individuals on average had debt reduction of $1000

24 individuals established a credit score for the first time

362

24

$800$1,000

COMING SOON TO BOYLE HEIGHTS

At the heart of East LA CommunityCorporation, is the mission to advocateand develop economic opportunitieswith dignity and autonomy which is whywe are proud to announce a cooperativefirst effort in the neighborhood of BoyleHeights: COO-PERA, a local ownedbusiness selling juices, smoothies, fruits andvegetables of quality and affodability. How did Coo-Pera Begin? The call to participate in this model ofrelatively new economic development wasmade in the spring of 2017. Weekly talksconsolidated a group of local street vendors,entrepreneurs, who were able to organizethemselves to work shoulder to shoulder inthis dream: to be owners of the company forwhich they work and promote the localeconomy by collecting surplus produceharvested from local gardens.

B Y C E S A R C A S T R O

The cooperative has a local commitment tooffer free education and health sessions tolocals in the community. COO-PERA has visited several localgardens and has raised funds through thesale of food in various public and privatecommunity events, and in a Kick-startercampaign, where supporters like you wereable to contribute and help build theirdream. What's Next? This summer, have COO-PERA, LLC, cateryour events or join in the fall for freeeducation and health sessions! In short, La Coopera de Boyle Heights,as it is colloquially known, is very closeto opening doors at 105 N. Boyle Ave. LACA, in the heart of Boyle Heights! Visit: www.CooperaBH.com

P A G E 0 4

A n o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t i s o w n e d a n d

r u n j o i n t l y b y i t s m e m b e r s , w h o

t o g e t h e r c o l l a b o r a t e a n d s h a r e t h e

p r o f i t s o r b e n e f i t s .

C O O P E R A T I V E - C O O - P E R A

Our innovative strategic direction innovates opportunities, buildscommunity capacity to steward land andestablish local community businesses.

OUR APPROACHP A G E 0 5

At East LA Community Corporation, we combine service provision with community engagementthat moves residents to be significantly involved in making decisions for their neighborhood. We believe this approach changes the system from a practice of "planning being done tous" to "planning being done with us."

Housing & Asset Development:

As asset developers, we're strategizing across multipleneighborhoods to create housing that retains our communityfabric, while at the same time improving the quality of life forthose we serve.

Community Wealth Building:

As bilingual financial empowerment coaches, we educatefamilies and individuals on mainstream financial tools, theirrights as consumers, and resources that help them build andsustain their assets and wealth.

Cultural Vitality and Preservation

As cultural bearers, we uplift traditional wisdom to engage thewhole person's well-being. Through cultural practices and artsprogramming, we strengthen community connection and activeimagination for the innovation and regeneration needed forcommunity transformation. Part of our mission is preservinghistoric neighborhood assets such as Peabody Warden House,and Casa del Mexicano.

Community Organizing:

As community organizers, we cultivate leadership and facilitatecivic engagement to endure responsible economicdevelopment that benefits current residents. We provide themegaphone for a series of issues that others might findintimidating.

Our approach has four complementary components:

Monthly Mobile FoodPantry ELACC STARS AfterSchool ProgramYoga and Wellness

Lending CirclesKIVA LoansFirst Time Home-BuyerWorkshopsVITA- Free TaxPreparation

Legalize Street VendingCampaignTransit OrientedDevelopment Leadership AcademyCoalition and MovementBuilding

Community Garden atCasa del MexicanoSummer Music ClassesCoo-Pera

Services

OUR BUILDINGS

L e v e r a g e d i n R e a l E s t a t e

D e v e l o p m e n t

& P r o g r a m s

$ 2 3 0 M I L L I O N

U n i t s o f a f f o r d a b l e

h o u s i n g

7 3 1D e v e l o p e d s i n g l e

f a m i l y h o m e s

8 7

811 Blades Street 811 Blades Street Los Angeles, CA

90063

Paseo del Sol 417-419 N. Soto Street Los Angeles,

CA 90033

Playground Apartments 1462 Playground Street Los Angeles, CA 90033

Las Mariposas Apartments 438 S. Evergreen Avenue 621 N. Cummings Street

2537 E. 3rd Street 319 N. FickettStreet

Kern Villa Apartments 202 N. Kern Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90022

Sol y Luna Apartments 2917 E. 1st Street

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Guy Gabaldon Apartments (aka Beswick Senior Housing) 3553

Beswick Street Los Angeles, CA 90023

Percy/Indiana 732 S. Indiana Street Los

Angeles, CA 90023

Eastlake 2516 Eastlake Avenue

3211 – 3213 ½ Altura Walk LosAngeles, CA 90031

Cielito Lindo Apartments 2409East 1st Street, Los Angeles,

CA 90033

Lorena Terrace Apartments 611S. Lorena Street

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Las Flores Apartments 1074 S. Rowan Avenue Los

Angeles, CA 90023

Alta Vista Apartments 5051 E. 3rd Street Los Angeles,

CA 90022

Linda Vista Senior Apartments 630 S. St. Louis Street Los Angeles, CA 90033

Linda Vista Seniors II 610 S. St. Louis Street Los Angeles, CA 90033

Los Girasoles Apartments 952 S. Record Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90023

Las Margaritas Apartments137 N. Soto Street

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Cuatro Vientos Apartments5331 E. Huntington Drive

North Los Angeles, CA 90032

Boyle Hotel-Cummings Block1781 E. 1st Street

Los Angeles, CA 90033

Vista Dunes Apartments44950 Vista Dunes Ln La Quinta, CA 92253

Whittier Place Apartments

4125 Whittier Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90023

C i e l i t o L i n d o I I

A p a r t m e n t s i n

B o y l e H e i g h t s , C A

S u n V a l l e y S e n i o r

V e t e r a n s A p a r t m e n t s

i n   S u n V a l l e y , C A  

  C O M I N G I N  

  2 0 1 9

P A G E 0 6

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