Hands for Hope (H4H)
Brings the arts to at-risk youth
Annual fundraiser helps make after-school programs possible
Hands for Hope (H4H) is an after-school and single-parent resource program based in the North Hollywood music and arts district. H4H serves predominantly low-income minority youth by providing a safe and supportive environment where at-risk youth are nurtured and given room to evolve.
“When our kids walk into the doors of H4H, we help them with homework, build their self-esteem with activities in the arts (music lessons, dance, painting, photography etc.), provide them with a healthy snack, and even teach them how to effectively manage money,” said founder and executive director Lydia Floyd. “Our program is unique because it’s geared toward assisting single parents with children ages 9-19, where after school programs are scarce. H4H provides an alternative for our future leaders and resources for their parents.”
H4H has a number of different programs geared toward helping these youth and their parents. The youth program, which is tailored specifically for students ages 8-14, meets five times a week from 3-6:30 p.m. and during that time youth are given academic assistance, healthy lifestyle programs, arts exploration and life skills development training.
The teen program, which is for students ages 15-21, meets three times a week in 12-week sessions and during this time the young people focus on college and career planning; driver’s education; financial literacy; and advanced level tutoring and enrichment programs.
In addition to all of these activities, Hands for Hope also hosts a quarterly “Helping Hands Networking Resource Fair” for single parent, which gives them information and useful resources on child care, child support mediation, employment information, as well as including workshops on improving credit, buying homes, and going back to school.
To help underwrite the cost of their activities Floyd said the organization hosts the Starlight Jazz Serenade each year. This event is a big part of why the nonprofit is able to provide services to these families.
“H4H brings together some of the brightest stars in smooth jazz with the community’s elite to shine in one evening of great entertainment. The concert attracts attendee’s not only from the San Fernando Valley, but also from the city of Los Angeles and the surrounding counties. This is one night where those who love great music can come together for a good cause,” said Floyd on the organization’s website.
The 11th annual Starlight Jazz Serenade will showcase an outstanding lineup of jazz musicians and entertainers and takes place Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences located at 5220 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.
The fundraising program encourages the community to participate and to contribute by gathering jazz lovers, professional musicians, and celebrities to come together to support the academic, artistic and social enrichment programs provided by Hands for Hope for at-risk youth.
The fundraiser is open to the general public and tickets are $40 for general admission and $75 for VIP admission, which includes a pre-concert reception with the artists. Tickets can be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com and at www.hands4hope.org, where you can also get more information on the organization.
The Center: South L.A. is a proposed center for the arts in Los Angeles that will offer a variety of creative classes in traditional and non-traditional dance, theater, drawing, painting, music, and arts and crafts, and will strive to make art accessible to everyone while simultaneously inspiring and educating young people in the community.
“Currently South L.A. is lacking in access to the arts… Compared to other areas in the city there is a lack of community-focused businesses and destination areas, especially along Western Avenue.
Justice by Uniting in Creative Energy (J.U.i.C.E.) is a nonprofit weekly Hip Hop arts program that seeks to develop youth leadership and technical skills, creative expression and self-confidence through the artistic elements of Hip Hop, which include breakdancing, urban art, deejaying, emceeing/spoken word and music recording.
J.U.i.C.E. was founded in 2001 in the Rampart District of Los Angeles. The area roughly includes Westlake, Echo Park and Pico-Union.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—“So You Think You Can Dance” co-creator and executive producer Nigel Lythgoe teamed up with retired talk-show host Larry King today to announce a national health campaign promoting dance as a way to combat obesity.
“Dance is an activity that is universally recognized and accessible across all socioeconomic levels, making it an ideal approach to promoting heart health,” King said.
In anticipation of the upcoming April performance of the Alvin Ailey performances at the Los Angeles Music Center, students at the Lou Dantzler Preparatory Middle School and the Douglass Marshall Academy Middle School recently had an opportunity to participate in a residency workshop and learn movements to the company’s 50-year-old signature production “Revelations.” The residency was part of the Ailey in the Schools education program.
“I said samich,” a work by Zeal Harris is one of the pieces in the exhibit “Skin Deep” on view through Jan. 11 at the Loft at Liz’s.
The group show features local artists exploring the relationship between Blacks and Whites via a variety of mediums including mixed media, painting, and even jewelry. The participating artists are Monique Birault, Zeal Harris, Ted Meyer, Jackie Natch, Miles Regis, Francheska Schifrin, Garth Trinidad, and Richard Turner. The Loft at Liz’s is located at 453 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles.
