In this Tuesday, March 26, 2013, photo, Adreanna Guiterrez, 18, plays with daughter Alicia Elena Garcia in their foster home in Houston. Adreanna is one of many teens benefiting from a Child Protective Services drive to help high school seniors in the foster care system that might not be able to afford items for their prom event their senior year. (Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle/AP Photo)

LAYC's Child Placement Programs appeared in ABC News Univision's April 25, 2013 article U.S.-Born Latinos More Likely To Be in Foster Care, which highlights the growing number of Latino youth in foster care. LAYC family resource specialist Elizabeth Jenkins-Sahlin spoke to ABC News Univision about the need for bilingual social workers. To read the article, please visit ABC News Univision.

Please visit LAYC's Child Placement program website for information on how you can become a foster parent.

HYATTSVILLE, MD; March 28, 2013 — Students at Nicholas Orem Middle School spent the morning picking weeds, sanding and painting benches, and planting flowers, in honor of Cesar Chavez Day. The annual event involves AmeriCorps members at LAYC's Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers and seeks to raise awareness about the work of the late activist. AmeriCorps members brought shovels, paint brushes, potting soil, and plenty of enthusiasm to get the middleschoolers involved in the various beautification projects.

After a few hours bearing the unseasonably cold late-March morning, the busybodies retreated to the auditorium to enjoy a cooking demonstration and a well deserved meal. Students received a brief nutrition class that included passing around and smelling a leaf of basil.  A few volunteers donned gloves to prepare trail mix, and whole-wheat pasta with pesto sauce. 

WASHINGTON, DC; March 28, 2013 —The Latin American Youth Center joins hundreds of organizations across the nation to express its recognition for the commitment, dedication, and hard work of its social workers. We applaud your work in making a difference in children's lives and we wish you continued success in your professional career. Visit the National Association of Social Work website for details about Social Work Month.

Happy Social Work Month!

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Washington, DC; March 27, 2013 – The Latin American Youth Center received with honor an invitation to attend on Monday night, March 11th, a visit with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Oscar-winning actress Rita Moreno. The event, which was arranged to promote both women's memoirs, Sotomayor's "My Beloved World" and Rita Moreno's "Rita Moreno, A Memoir," took place at the National Hispana Leadership Institute and was sponsored by the Eva Longoria Foundation.

"LAYC is very honored with the opportunity to take 23 youth to an inspiring event hosted by these two Latina pioneers. It's very important for our youth to know these women's stories and believe that they can also follow their dreams regardless of the challenges they have faced in their lives," said Lori Kaplan, LAYC President & CEO, who was in attendance.

During the night, Ms. Sotomayor and Ms. Moreno shared their journeys with the audience, making the crowd cry and laugh with both their childhood and adulthood stories. 

Each attending youth and staff member received an autographed copy of "My Beloved World" by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.