Community Involvement

During 2010-2011 many exciting projects and events took place that involved volunteers, community leaders, businesses, board members, staff and the youth in our programs. Together, we raised awareness, funds for our programs, and plenty of goodwill.

2010-2011 Events

Cultivate L.A.
10-02-10
Local chefs came out to support local foster youth at a private estate in Brentwood and helped raise over $200,000 for UFC’s Housing and Education Programs. Nearly 600 guests mixed and mingled with some of L.A.’s best food and wine vendors including celebrated local chefs like Eric Greenspan of The Foundry on Melrose and Michael McCarty of Michael’s.
Event photos + review »

College Within Reach
10-30-10
UFC hosted its 11th annual college preparatory event at Pepperdine University. Foster youth, caregivers and service providers enjoyed a full day of activities and workshops dedicated to getting youth on the college track. Students learned about the college application process, interacted with current college scholars and alumni, and participated in interactive workshops. Guests also enjoyed hearing from host, Collins Pennie, who was able to overcome the challenges he faced in foster care to achieve his goals and become a Hollywood star.
Event photos + review »

6^th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic
12-06-10
Sponsored by Richard Merkin M.D./Heritage Provider Network, the event raised nearly $200,000 for UFC’s programs, while golfers enjoyed a day at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale. The event concluded with cocktails, dinner and an awards presentation by Host Mario Lopez with special prizes including Club Glove travel bags, Keurig coffee makers, and Callaway golf bags.
Event photos + review »

Brass Ring Awards Dinner
6-02-11
Over $1.5 million was raised from Brass Ring donations to allow UFC to continue its life changing work. It was a special night as we presented Phil Kent, Chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting, with the Brass Ring Award and Wallis Annenberg, Chairman and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation, with the Nancy M. Daly Founder’s Award. Andy Richter of Conan served as host of the dinner and a special performance by Keb’ Mo’ was a highlight of the evening.
Event photos + review »

22^nd Annual Celebration Graduation
6-07-11
>Hosted by Mario Lopez, with guest speakers Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil, a record number of 180 foster youth participated in the graduation celebration at Walt Disney Concert Hall. It was a great celebration of the academic achievements of foster youth in Los Angeles graduating from high school and continuing on to college. UFC presented over $600,000 in college sponsorships so foster youth can receive the financial support and guidance they need to attend and graduate from 4-year colleges.
Event photos + review »

Corporate + Community Projects

• Jewels and Jill Elmore, Zoe Nathan of Huckleberry, and other local chefs, along with our Master Gardener Linda Daly, led a dedicated group of volunteers, staff, board members and youth from our Pathways Program. They all worked together in the Pathways Edible Garden and kitchen planting, mulching, seeding, chopping, marinating and grilling to create a fabulous
  group BBQ.
• Individuals, businesses and volunteers participated in UFC’s annual holiday in-kind giving campaign resulting in over $20,000 raised for gifts for the youth in our programs.
• UFC participated in Foster Care Awareness month in May and received support from The National Charity League, Lion’s Club and Rotary Club in Whittier.

Volunteers

We launched our newly restructured Volunteer Program in early 2011 to help better connect community minded individuals with our mission, programs and the youth we serve. The new program matches prospective volunteers with open volunteer positions through an interview process and selects qualified volunteers based on their skills, commitment and availability. The process is designed to ensure a meaningful experience for our volunteers and help UFC carry out its mission through a dedicated, skilled volunteer community. Volunteers participated in the following events and activities this year:

• Big Sunday with Pathways
• Brass Ring
• Celebration Graduation
• College Sponsorship overnight orientation
• College Within Reach
• Cultivate L.A.
• Education workshops and events
• Pathways Edible garden

Board Members

UFC welcomed three new board members this year—Araceli Ruano with American Progress, Sean Burton with CityView and Graciela Meibar with Mattel, Inc. Board members continued to provide leadership this year in the following capacities:

• By chairing several UFC fundraising events including Brass Ring, Cultivate L.A. and Golf, helping to raise over $2.5 million for UFC’s programs.
• In their respective roles on various board sub-committees including Executive, Development, Finance, Pathways, Education and Governance and Nominating.
• By participating in UFC sponsored events and activities throughout the year.

Total Volunteers: 190
Total Volunteer Hours: 1,600

UFC Gives Back to the Community

An important piece of UFC programming is to provide our youth with opportunities to give back throughout the year and get involved with the communities in which they live.

This year Pathways youth:

• Joined forces with REI and the LA Conservation Corps to help clean up Kenneth Hahn Park as part of Big Sunday’s community service day.
• Hosted community events in Whittier including a spring social and Halloween party and spread holiday cheer with their Christmas caroling.

College Readiness students:

• Volunteered at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
• Spent the day with TreePeople staff weeding, watering and mulching.
• Worked with Heal the Bay on a beach clean-up day.

College Sponsorship students:

• Volunteered at College Within Reach and shared first-hand knowledge with foster youth interested in learning about what it takes to get to college.