Open for Impact - Missouri Place
After breaking ground in January 2020, Missouri Place is now open to families! All seventy-three families will be served by Imagine LA. Forty-four units are designated as Permanent Supportive Housing: affordable housing with on-site supportive services for families who are emerging from homelessness. Twenty-nine units reserved for low-income families.
Mary, a mom of three, is so excited to finally have a room of her own. Coming from a shelter, she always had to share a room with her 2-year-old son Teddy. Her two older kids are excited to finally be able to visit their mom in her own home. Coming from an unsafe South Central area, Mary is especially ready for Teddy to be a part of a loving community. Mary already has a strong bond with her Family Team Manager and is excited for every part of the Imagine LA program. As her two oldest children get ready to come over on weekends, she says, “Waking up to all three of them in my own house and getting on each other’s nerves will be the best feeling in the world!”
George, a father of a 7-year-old boy, has similar sentiments. Also coming from a shelter just ten minutes away from Missouri Place, he says having their own place is incredible. His son calls his room “his own little castle.” George is eager to take advantage of all of Imagine LA’s opportunities. “I’m ready to do whatever it takes to better ourselves and make a better future for our family.”
None of this would be possible without Thomas Safran & Associates, our Program Manager Toya Johnson and our Missouri Place Family Team Managers: Jasmine Gibson, Chanta Johnson, and Jill Davis.
A special shoutout to LA CARE for sponsoring a brand new air purifier for each family, and to the LA Rams Foundation and punter Johnny Hecker and wife Makayla Hecker for providing indoor door mats and four sets of soft cozy towels per family. These special touches really help our families turn their houses into homes.
Our families received Welcome Home Kits that also included cookware and dinnerware sets, cleaning supplies and bathroom essentials. This is all thanks to the generosity of Cornerstone West LA, Covenant Presbyterian Church, Culver City Presbyterian Church, First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, Holy Family Catholic Church, Islamic Center of Southern California, St. Monica's Catholic Church, Kehillat Israel, Leo Baeck Temple, Temple Emanuel Beverly Hills, CORT Furniture Rental and more than two dozen individual donors.
It truly takes a village and Imagine LA could not be more excited for this community to thrive!
