Hollywood energy gamers are taking discover of the nonprofit group Los Angeles Room & Board, which works to supply housing, meals and assist to school college students experiencing homelessness in L.A.
“Los Angeles Room & Board is the mannequin by which we needs to be serving to one another,” singer and The Voice vocal coach Stevie Mackey tells The Hollywood Reporter. “They supply far more than a house. They supply a life with actual, high quality experiences.”
Different supporters of the group embody writer-producer John Wells (ER, Shameless, Maid) and his spouse, Marilyn; actress Shanola Hampton; NBA all-star Jrue Vacation and his spouse, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lauren Vacation; Bradley Whitford; Euphoria’s Algee Smith; and singer-songwriter Eric Bellinger. In February, founder and CEO Sam Prater appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Present to advertise the charity.
For Prater, the nonprofit is one among his passions. Born in Detroit, the twelfth of 14 kids, Prater dropped out of highschool earlier than restarting his academic journey on the age of 23 at a area people faculty. Whereas incomes his doctorate in academic management and coverage at California State College, he labored with the Dean of College students Workplace the place he managed the Fundamental Wants Initiative.
Whereas working there, Prater started to watch the scholars who attended occasions the place meals had been offered. “I’d discover that people would line up, and once we’d convey meals, they’d convey Tupperware, and they might ravage the meals,” Prater says.
He additionally turned disturbed by the variety of college students dropping out of college on account of poverty.
“On the finish of the semester, they had been saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to take the semester off [because] cash received just a little tight. I’ll work and are available again,’” Prater recollects. “This occurred again and again. Individuals had been dropping out of college, not as a result of they weren’t sensible, not as a result of they couldn’t deal with the rigor of college-level work — it was as a result of they didn’t have housing or meals.”
Rendering of Los Angeles Room & Board’s Excelsior Home.
Courtesy of Los Angeles Room & Board
This downside is widespread all through the area. In Los Angeles County, one in 10 college students at four-year schools is experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. At group schools, the quantity soars to at least one in 5.
Los Angeles Room & Board, based by Prater in 2020, goals to alter that — one mattress and one home-cooked meal at a time. The primary Room & Board house opened at an outdated sorority home throughout the road from UCLA. In lower than two years, the group went from housing and feeding 15 college students to having 190 beds accessible in 4 homes throughout L.A., primarily for college kids attending group schools.
There are actually 4 Room & Board transitional homes throughout L.A. “Now we have tried to create areas the place folks can really feel dignity and really feel happy with the place they stay,” says Prater.
Los Angeles Room & Board works with the County of Los Angeles, which refers foster youths and younger adults popping out of the legal justice system. Additionally they associate with each group schools and four-year schools to determine college students experiencing homelessness and meals insecurity.
“Along with offering housing freed from cost to college students, we additionally present three meals a day cooked by our culinary group. Now we have full-time cooks who’re offering recent meals. Most of the meals that people eat we develop the produce within the yard,” Prater says. “It’s a complete, wrap-around program [offering] supportive providers, tutoring, educational and profession growth, monetary literacy, and planning and life abilities. We attempt to do every part we will to offer them abilities to achieve success, whether or not on campus or of their group.”
As Prater notes, making an attempt to assist these college students is daunting — 45,000 beds could be wanted to deal with all at-risk faculty college students in Los Angeles County — and in addition very costly. In December 2023, Room & Board hosted its first vacation fundraiser, alongside celeb companions Mackey, Smith and singer Josiah Bell. “I believe the entire group heard us singing that evening,” Mackey says. “And I hope they felt the affect Los Angeles Room & Board is making.”
However there may be extra work to be accomplished. “When no scholar has to resolve between housing and faculty,” Prater says, “we will hold it up.”
Vacation occasion at Los Angeles Room and Board’s Dunamis Home, December 2023.
