Program

Every day, families across Los Angeles embody resilience and tenacity as they navigate their way out of poverty. We provide the relationships and resources to help the entire family thrive for the long-term.

Families

Every Imagine LA family has experienced poverty and in many cases, homelessness. And yet, we believe no one is defined by their most difficult experience. With Imagine LA, families access the tools, skills, and spaces to advance their goals around career, finance, education, health, and more. We walk alongside families through caring case management, a team of volunteer mentors, and a community of supporters who always have their back.

Learn more about our families

Mentors

Our teams of volunteer mentors serve as friends and partners, working one-on-one with a parent, teen, or youth in our program. Through the power of transformative relationships, mentors and mentees join forces to grow and have fun together. Mentors are supported by Imagine LA and their fellow team members because we believe that no one thrives alone.

Learn more about mentors

The Family Partnership Model

Everything we do is built on a foundation of trust and relationships. Whole-family, caring case management works to prevent first-time or repeat homelessness, and clear barriers to family goals, which sets the stage for economic mobility programming, financial independence, and success for the whole family.

All families gain access and guidance through a comprehensive Financial Fitness curriculum, our Matched Savings program, Living-Wage Careers Pathways (healthcare, logistics, technology, and more), and support securing childcare.

All family members ages 5 and up have the opportunity to be matched with their own trained volunteer mentor. Mentors, under the guidance and coaching of the family’s case manager, provide personal attention for their mentees and foster connectedness, new opportunities, and mutual growth. Lives are transformed at every level. After graduation, families and mentors come back to inspire the next generation.

First Steps

Families enter Imagine LA’s ecosystem when they are referred by a social services agency or when they self-refer (click here to refer a family). Once we receive that referral, families begin Imagine LA’s intake and enrollment process –the First Step in their journey out of poverty.

We recognize that every family comes to us with different backgrounds, needs, histories, strengths, and traumas. We know how important it is to meet them “where they’re at” during every step of the intake process as we build the foundation for partnerships built on trust and safety.

Intake & enrollment process (typically about 30 days):

Imagine LA’s Family Program Associate contacts the family
Families that do not qualify for Imagine LA’s services are referred to other social services agencies
Accepted families complete Imagine LA’s enrollment paperwork and are assigned a Family Team Manager (FTM), who will serve as their case manager and point person throughout their time in the program
FTM triages the family's current situation to address high-urgency challenges
The family completes a Case Plan with their FTM, identifying immediate and long-terms goals and action steps

Includes Access to:

Imagine LA’s network of resources
Signature Family Fun Events
Case Management (see below)
Economic Mobility Programming (see below)
Whole-Family Mentorship (see below; must begin with Imagine C.A.R.E.)

Imagine C.A.R.E.
Compassion. Advocacy. Resilience. Equity.

We partner with families as they work to identify and achieve their goals and thrive. Whole-family caring, case management works to prevent first-time or repeat homelessness, and clear barriers to success, with a focus on children’s development and wellbeing. Then, financial fitness programming, living-wage careers and training, and childcare solutions combine to drive economic mobility. From Imagine C.A.R.E., families gain access to transformative, whole-family mentorship.

Services:

Ongoing, goal-based, case management with an experienced social worker
Strength-based focus on parenting success, educational achievement, health outcomes, etc.
Child development assessments and service linkages
Affordable childcare solutions (as needed)
Case Manager collaboration and advocacy with other agency providers
Signature Family Fun Events
Financial Fitness Programming (see below)
Emergency Financial Assistance

Includes Access to:

Living-Wage Careers (see below)
Economic Mobility Program (see below)
Whole-Family Mentorship (see Mentorship below)

Economic Mobility Program (EMP)

Imagine LA’s Economic Mobility Program is designed to provide pathways to financial independence for families enmeshed in poverty. This requires more than a job. It demands basic money management education and skills via workshops and individualized coaching, living-wage careers training and employment, safe and affordable childcare, and access to centralized and reliable information to effectively navigate the social benefits system. The beacon of EMP is a targeted workforce development program that consists of eight (8) high-growth, high-demand, live-wage careers pathways in Los Angeles that are appealing for participating families.

In partnership with their Case Manager and the Economic Mobility Team, families build economic mobility via:

Living-Wage Career Pathways: Families are connected to employment readiness partners where they complete training en route to job placement or receive help securing a job. Career pathways include: Administration, Childcare & Early Childhood Education, Construction & Maintenance, Healthcare, Hospitality, Technology and Media, Logistics, Social Services. For a list of partners, click here.
Affordable Childcare Solutions: Our childcare partners help families access public subsidies and ensure they have appropriate COVID-19-safe home- or center-based care for their children.
Comprehensive Financial Fitness Services: Families participate in workshop-based financial education and one-on-one financial coaching with trusted partners, a matched family savings program, and needs-based emergency and investment financial assistance.
Navigating Public Benefits for Working Families: Navigating the complex social safety net, especially for families, is a daunting and stress-filled task. Many families fear that earning more income will negatively impact their benefits. Imagine LA is currently developing the Social Benefit Navigator, an online tool that will help families secure the benefits they qualify for and understand what will happen to those benefits as their income changes. The Social Benefit Navigator will begin piloting in Fall 2022.

Mentorship

Families enrolled in Imagine C.A.R.E. begin Mentorship when they feel prepared to welcome new, transformative relationships into their lives. Our teams of volunteer mentors are hand-matched with each family member ages 5 and up, and each mentor serves as a one-on-one friend and partner to a parent, teen, or youth in our program. By meeting our families where they’re at, Imagine LA mentors connect with them as people to honor their goals and strengths. Through the power of relationships, mentors and mentees join forces to grow and have fun together.

Families in the Mentorship program continue receiving all Imagine C.A.R.E. and Economic Mobility Pathways services and access.

Services:

1:1 mentor for everyone in the family ages 5 and up
Twice-monthly mentorship activities, like trips to the park, help with a science project, or reworking your resume (all activities virtual during COVID-19 pandemic)
Consistent, supportive presence for families
An ally to walk alongside each member of the family to help them envision and achieve their individual and family goals
A team of mentors looking out for your family
Each family’s team of mentors is trained, guided, and managed by the family’s Case Manager

Imagine Tomorrow

Graduates of Imagine LA’s programs are part of our family forever. The connection stays strong through continued participation in economic mobility programming, event attendance, the relationships they have built with staff and mentors, and more. When you meet our Alumni Families, you’ll know them by their confidence, determination, and self-advocacy skills.

Includes Access to: