Impact Report - FY 2019 & FY 2020
A word from our President & CEO
Our guiding principle over the past year: DC and Maryland’s underserved youth and families must be treated with dignity and respect and have access to basic needs.
When life as our youth and families had known it came to a halt, providing a path forward was critical. Our communities were already dealing with long-standing inequities. The pandemic highlighted those vulnerabilities. We witnessed first-hand the economic stresses, health disparities, and racial inequalities. In response, we created ways to mitigate the impact of those injustices.
Our communities had limited or no resources. LAYC offered food and rental assistance, connections to online learning, access to mental health resources, and much more. As in-person programming shifted online, staff worked tirelessly to create safe spaces where youth could have a sense of belonging.
We never closed our doors.
It wasn’t easy. We had to make many tough decisions, but staying connected to youth and families has always been and remains our priority.
Supported by LAYC staff, youth showed extraordinary resilience, adapting and continuing to work toward their goals. “Working together for hope” became the title of our giving campaign because the only way to persevere was to lean on each other.
We’ve had a lot of loss, and healing takes time. As we continue to care for one another, we honor where we’ve been. It’s no small feat that we’re still standing strong. There is much work ahead.
LAYC will continue to respond to the needs of our communities. LAYC will continue to give hope to our youth and families. Thank you to everyone who helped us do so: individual donors, foundations, and partners. Together, we can. Together, we will.
Mirna (Lupi) Quinteros-Grady,
President & CEO
Keshawn came to LAYC a young mother, fearful of being another statistic. We provided a stipend, diapers and meals, employment connections, housing and daily check-ins to help her stay motivated while studying for her GED. In 2019 she passed and is now an AmeriCorps member: “I want to help people feel the way LAYC staff made me feel.”
We think of LAYC as an anchor for youth like Keshawn. But as FY 2019 began, it was clear that we needed to anchor the organization as well — and do even more.
“I want to help people feel the way LAYC staff made me feel.”
Laying the Foundation
In 2019, as part of the strategic planning process, we cemented our vision, organized our finances, found permanent homes for our Maryland sites and completed long-needed tasks, including preparing for emergencies and disrupting bias in our human resource processes. We built capacity for our equity and inclusion initiative and engaged our youth in decision-making in a more intentional way.
Our 6 Strategic Focus Areas
Fiscal Year 2019 Highlights
Click here to view our demographics.
Thirty (yes, 30!) LAYC youth were invited to perform at the opening of the Kennedy Center’s REACH expansion, including leading an African drumming session and a workshop on belonging.
LAYC’s STRIPES is an after-school leadership program, offers a welcoming space, personal growth and advocacy opportunities for LGBTQ-identifying youth and allies. Today, STRIPES meets twice weekly and serves 24 local youth.
In 2019 our Promotor Pathway® continued to grow in DC — and we’re seeing results nationally as well. Project Hope Alliance in Orange County, CA, adopted the Promotor model in 2017 and in 2019 reported high school graduation rates of over 80 percent.
LAYC/MMYC Fiscal Year 2019 Highlights
At LAYC’s Maryland Multicultural Youth Center (MMYC) we opened MoCo ReConnect, a re-engagement program that removes barriers that prevent some youth from finding their career path. Youth received food assistance, connection to rental support, and mental health services. Forty-five youth participated in internships that were held both online and in person.
Much of our school-based work took place in Prince George’s County, where MMYC’s out-of-school time programs engaged almost 500 youth in after-school programming.
Service as Tribute
In summer 2019, youth and staff restored a sweeping mural at Parkview Recreation Center in DC. Created by LAYC and the National Park Service in 2010, the mural pays tribute to the Parkview neighborhood, DC’s first community to integrate.
Esra’s Closet opened on Columbia Road in October 2019, with a logo designed by our own Sebastian Olivo. Today there’s a room full of business clothes and accessories, free for youth to use. The closet was named in honor of Esra Bennathan, whose wife Judith Nowak is a generous supporter of LAYC youth and families.
Then everything changed…
The impact of the pandemic on our youth and families was immediate.
One LAYC youth, Michelle, had to care for her younger siblings while both parents were under quarantine with COVID-19. Michelle missed many days of middle school and sometimes found it difficult even to shower. LAYC connected her with a mental health counselor who help her process the trauma of suddenly assuming the role of parent, cook, teacher and more, then helped her navigate a potential eviction situation as well.
Being intentional about listening to our youth and families informed our work. In the first two weeks after the shutdown in March, LAYC staff contacted over 2000 LAYC youth to find out what they needed and found that food, rent assistance and personal protective equipment (PPE) were at the top of the list.
Later, we surveyed over 750 of our families about the pandemic’s effects and learned that one in five households said they had at least one member test positive for COVID-19.
Time to Adapt
The foundational work we did in 2019 allowed us to transform, almost overnight, into an emergency services provider and meet our DC and Maryland communities’ needs for food, rent, healthcare and shelter in ways we’d never done before. This map shows the breadth of our food distribution efforts in DC and Maryland.
During the first 12 months of the pandemic, we:
We successfully shifted case management and classes, including a new College 101 workshop, to an online format.
Our Impact
“La organización LAYC nos ayudado en media de esta pandemia, y le doy gracias, también como al señor Jacobo, por ayudarnos con renta, con distribución de comida, y para mi hijo Yunior una computadora.”
“LAYC helped us during the pandemic, and I thank them as well as Jacobo, for helping us with rent, food, and a computer for my son Yunior.”
— Elida Garcia
DC and MD Youth Served, FY 2019 vs FY 2020
In FY 2019 we served close to 5300 youth in our 50+ programs — similar to 2018 levels. The pandemic hit 5 months into FY 2020, yet overall participation decreased only 14 percent and three areas - education/workforce, social services, and Promotor Pathway - grew significantly.
In LAYC’s Promotor Pathway, FY 2020:
In LAYC’s Middle & High School Programs in PG County, FY 2020:
Youth Participants increased 40 percent vs FY 2019
Our Workforce Development programs in Montgomery County increased by
LAYC IN THE NEWS
Lupi and Susana Martinez participated in a Facebook Live interview with El Tiempo Latino in June 2020.
NBC/Telemundo 44 ran LAYC youth Tatiana Sandoval’s story in August 2020.
Philanthropy rose to the challenge . . .
Seldom have we had so many partners and donors approach us and help meet our communities’ needs:
Our COVID relief donors included Carefirst, Comcast, Deerbrook Foundation, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Phillip Graham Fund, PwC Charitable Foundation, Global Giving, Safeway Foundation, Flamboyan Foundation, Cafritz, and Capital One.
NBC/Telemundo 44 and Comcast donated laptops for our families
Partners such as Capital Area Food Bank, World Central Kitchen, DC Central Kitchen, Sardis, and Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith (Fairfax County, VA) helped us with food distribution.
Our 2019 Gala sponsors recognized the need to prioritize program delivery over planning a Gala and shirted to supporting LAYC youth and families directly when the event was canceled.
. . . and so did our staff
Despite their own personal pandemic-related challenges, our nearly 200 staff worked from home and/or the office and didn’t hesitate to step up to help with food distribution and creative solutions to serve our communities online. LAYC never closed its doors.
Unable to lead in-person cooking and gardening classes, food and nutrition program manager Julia developed “Cooking With What You’ve Got” tipsheets and videos, complete with recipes to help families cook with the sometimes unfamiliar ingredients in their grocery boxes.
Today we have a new food pantry with canned goods and diapers for our families.
“I’m very thankful to be working with LAYC; everyone who works there is identified with the mission & vision and integrated into the community” – Jacobo
Donor Spotlights
Among our 500 new donors in FY 2020 was E.G., who began as a monthly supporter December 2019. Impressed by the new services we provided during the pandemic, she steadily increased her support then offered a matching opportunity where she would make an additional $5,000 gift if LAYC raised $25,000 in new or increased donations. We met the challenge and the funds are now supporting ongoing programs for our youth and families.
“I support LAYC because it helps locally to create the kind of community in which I want to live—where all are given the opportunity to live in safety, health, welcome, and creative connection.”
Best Buy became our partner right after the Columbia Heights, DC store opened in 2008 and has supported our work ever since, from providing refrigerators for our families to helping with our Thanksgiving dinner to hiring numerous LAYC youth. Store employee Carlton, who’s active in Best Buy’s employee-driven grant program, has been instrumental in the partnership — for five years he even played Santa for our youth! Best Buy’s monetary contribution supported LAYC’s Media Program, which introduces youth to digital photography and imaging, video production. graphic design and radio and sound/music production, all with appropriate technology and equipment. Please check out our youth artwork here.
Elda Devarie has been a LAYC donor and promoter for 10 years. She loves matching grant opportunities, holding Facebook fundraisers and as president of EMD Sales, an international food distributor, has donated food for LAYC families and made connections to partners such as Giant and Safeway. She has recruited volunteers such as Diana, who prepared and donated gift baskets for LAYC’s silent auction. As founder of Bags of Love DMV, Elda prepares boxes of food for families in need and LAYC is always on the receiving list, “I support LAYC for their deep connection with the community, youth they serve, volunteers & supporters. Their relationships are and feel personal to all of us. They are not just doing their “job,” it’s a lifelong commitment to our youth and their families!” Thank you, Elda, for all the ways you give back to your community and to LAYC.
Thank you to our Board
Betsy Brand, Chair
Kaye Pestaina, Vice Chair
Shari Thomas, Secretary
Adam Spiegel, Treasurer
Patricia Arzuaga
Liz Burrell
Simon Fairclough
Alfonso Guzman
Mag Hauge
Esperanza Lugo
Carrie E. Markovitz
Jennifer Mauskapf Smalls
Nancy Miranda
Jose R. Morales, Jr.
Carlos Oliva
Aaron Pomerantz
Kimberly Salameh
Yvonna Stevens
Samuel Williams
Amanda Wood
Wei Zhang
We thank these board members, who stepped down during FY 2019/2020, for their service:
Lauren Eyster
Santiago Martinez
Brett Meringoff
Desmond Serrette
Our Board of Directors contributed in so many ways in 2019 and 2020. Member Amanda Wood and her daughters helped with distributing food to our families during the pandemic; Board Chair Betsy Brand kicked off our recent Gala, which took place entirely online.
¡Mil gracias! We could not have done it without your support.
“The mission of LAYC, to help youth transition successfully to adulthood by addressing social, emotional, academic and career needs, has always spoken to me and drawn me in.”