2013-14 Annual Report - LA Conservation Corps

LA CONSERVATION CORPS
LA CONSERVATION CORPS
Dear Friends of the Corps,
Welcome to the 2013-14 edition of the LA Conservation Corps Annual Report! Over the
last year, we experienced many successes, and it was also a year filled with many positive
transitions.
One of the most significant transitions was in our leadership. Wendy Butts was named
Chief Executive Officer, taking over day-to-day operations from the incomparable Bruce
Saito. In this role, Wendy will draw on her extensive non-profit management experience in
program development, finance, compliance and fundraising, as well as her 13-year career
at the Corps prior to stepping into the CEO position.
Wendy is deeply committed to:
• Ensuring that the young adults in our program have excellent career training so that
they may find living wage jobs with a defined career path,
• Continually improving the quality of our programs by ensuring that the skills our
corpsmembers receive and the quality of the community projects we complete are
always on the cutting edge and
• Solidifying the LA Conservation Corps’ legacy of improving the Los Angeles region
through projects that have a lasting effect on our environment and improve the
communities in which we live.
Though Bruce has stepped away from the day-to-day operations, he will still be a critical
part of the Corps’ transformation and safeguarding our organization’s future. Bruce will
devote his time to government relations, generating new funding sources, and working
with his colleagues in the national Corps movement to evolve our business model to be
relevant in today’s environment.
What an exciting time to be involved in the Corps, right? We think so, and we hope that
you will continue to invest in our vision. If it were not for our donors, friends and volunteers,
none of the impacts that we make in the community or the programs and support we
provide to our corpsmembers would be possible.
Many exciting things are on the horizon for the next fiscal year as we continue our
period of transition. You can see and hear the latest updates by following us on Facebook,
Twitter & Instagram. And again, please accept our deepest gratitude for your ongoing
support of the LA Conservation Corps.
Wendy A. Butts
Bruce Saito
Mercedes Morton
THROUGH THE YEARS
WITH
BRUCE & WENDY
Marisol Rodriguez
LA Conservation Corps Board Member
Marisol started work with the LA Conservation Corps and its Clean & Green Program
when she was 13 years old. She and her three siblings were raised by a single mom in
the Pico-Union area, and early on the employment opportunity with the Corps taught
her the invaluable lesson of how to manage money.
The experience of earning a paycheck as a young teenager taught Marisol the importance of saving. There was also a sense of pride in knowing she could pay her own
way and buy all the things that kids her age needed - cheeseburgers, scrunchies, and
movie nights with friends!
As she evolved in the program, Marisol learned the importance of working as a team
to make our Los Angeles neighborhoods an even better, cleaner, and safer place for
Angelenos. The LA Conservation Corps allowed her the opportunity to participate in
beautification projects in her own community, which instilled in her a sense of civic
engagement and community pride.
In addition to the community service through the Corps, Marisol was surrounded by
role models in the program who had a similar upbringing. This helped her to better
connect with her own story, and learn by example how to proceed on a pathway to
personal success.
Today, Marisol is inspired to help others thanks to her roots in the LA Conservation
Corps. Through her service as a teen, she has the fundamental tools and skills as an
adult that she now uses as District Director for Los Angeles City Councilmember Mitch
O’Farrell, and as one of our valued board members. She is passionate about her work
in the City of Angels, and the opportunity to continue the Corps tradition of mentoring
the future leaders of Los Angeles.
The Oak Woodland at
Descanso Gardens
Over the last year, the LA Conservation Corps’ corpsmembers
and staff were hard at work on developing the Oak Woodland
at Descanso Gardens – the first addition to the Gardens in 30
years. Throughout the course of this project, which was awarded
to us by County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich and the Los
Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, our corpsmembers removed countless amounts of debris, green waste,
weeds and other invasive vegetation that accumulated in this
previously unused space for decades.
Under the guidance of expert staff, our corpsmembers learned
how to construct bridges and specialized fencing, build roads,
install numerous miles of irrigation, and operate heavy machinery
like skid-steer loaders and roller compactors. Corpsmembers also
filled in five acres of land with nutrient-rich mulch and planted an
astounding 30,000 native plants in the Oak Woodland in order to
complete the transformation of this lake-side parcel into a heritage landscape of the Los Angeles Basin.
This project, like so many other LA Conservation Corps projects,
also presented life-changing opportunities for our corpsmembers.
Some of the young adults who worked on this project received
their high school diploma. Others made the transition from
corpsmember to staff, but all of them showed great promise and
potential that impressed our staff who, together, have over 30
years experience in the construction industry. Brandon Hintz,
the supervisor for the Descanso Gardens project remarked, “I’m
amazed at the professional level of work our corpsmembers were
able to learn and successfully execute in order to turn what was
once a forgotten, unusable space into a beautiful place that the
public can now enjoy.”
To see the tremendous work our corpsmembers did, visit the Oak
Woodland at Descanso Gardens.
Tot Parks and
Trails Program
The LA Conservation Corps, in partnership with First 5 LA and
County Supervisorial District 4, worked with six cities to build nine
new tot parks for children ages 0-5, as part of First 5 LA’s “Tot Parks
and Trails” program. The goal of this program is to create sustainable changes in underserved communities by promoting increased
physical activity and to help children maintain a healthy weight.
From planning to completed construction, corpsmembers were
intimately involved in every aspect of the tot park creation, which
would revitalize the communities where they were built. The
corpsmembers’ involvement included performing door-to-door
canvassing, working with community members and landscape
architects to select park elements, and to ensure all community needs
and wants were addressed. Once each project was approved by the
respective partner city, corpsmembers would begin changing what
were once neglected areas into vibrant play spaces for all to enjoy.
In the process of building these new play areas, corpsmembers also
began the laying the groundwork for the next stage of their lives.
Many of the corpsmembers who gained valuable experience with
operating machinery, demolishing and building concrete structures,
installing playground equipment and creating new walking paths
have begun taking classes at Los Angeles Trade Tech College to
continue their education in construction. When reflecting on the corpsmembers’ achievements, Dore Burry, Program Manager for the Tot
Parks and Trails program, said, “It’s such a proud moment to see our
corpsmembers apply themselves throughout every stage of the
process, and transform these neglected areas into dedicated play
spaces that children in underserved communities can benefit from for
years to come.”
Statement of Activities
Year Ended June 30, 2014
Revenue and Support
General Agencies & Contracts $20,700,568
Contributions - Private & Corporations $1,420,275
Program Fees $326,458
In-Kind Revenue $197,555
Contributions - Individuals $168,487
Other Income $98,699
Total Revenue & Support $22,912,042
Expenses
Program Services $18,589,399
General and Administrative $3,412,198
Fundraising $149,130
Total Expenses $22,150,727
Net Assets
Net Assets - Beginning of Fiscal Year $6,012,351
Change in Net Assets $761,315
Net Assets - End of Fiscal Year $6,773,666
844
5,970
Trees Planted
Teens and young adults
received work experience
and job training through
LA Corps Programs
$
34
New parks
constructed or
enhanced
$127,318
Total scholarship
funds awarded to
corpsmembers
2,058
Acres of habitat
restored
159
Seniors
graduated
TRAILBLAZER
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Banc of California
Edison International
PARK BUILDER
The Walt Disney Company
AEG
Ralphs Grocery Company
Mickey Kantor and Heidi Schulman
American Chemistry Council
DakeLuna
HABITAT RESTORER
Adams Cowan Foundation
CBRE
FedEx
Bruce Karatz Family Foundation
LA Dodgers Foundation
Mayer Brown
Media Rights Capital
Comcast NBCUniversal
Shell Oil Company
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Southern California Gas Company
Whole Foods Markets
GARDEN CULTIVATOR
Bingham McCutchen, LLP
Austin Beutner
The Boeing Company
Chevron
Fifteen Group
Jenna and Jason Grosfeld
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas
The Rose Hills Foundation
Robert Reid
Bruce Saito and Alexandra Torres
Temescal Canyon Association
The Nature Conservancy
Janet and Ian Teague
WalMart
Wells Fargo
RECYCLER
Blue Shield of California
California United Bank
CRCD
Barbara and Gilbert Dembo
Risa and Michael Green
Ann Hollister and Jon Thomas
Dawn Wilson
Helenann Hirsch and Philip Recht
Ari and Martha Swiller
Mercedes and Gerry Morton
Chris and Denise Modrzejewski
George and Judith Kieffer
Enterprise Holding Company
Greenberg Traurig
Heads Up Youth Foundation
Donna and Mack McLarty
Renewable Resources Group
Ralph and Shirley Shapiro
SunPower Corporation
Maria Hummer-Tuttle and Bob Tuttle
Union Bank
Julie Waxman and Seth Freeman
Jeffrey and Mary Zients
CONSERVATIONIST
Barbara Benedek
The Blum Family Foundation
Frank and Carol Biondi
David Bonderman
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation
Chad Brownstein
Connie Bruck and Mel Levine
Teresa Cisneros Burton and Sean Burton
California Community Foundation
Tina N. Castro
Jacob & Hefner Associates
Jan Greenberg Levine
Lockton Insurance Brokers, LLC
Mia Lehrer +Associates
Mary Leslie and Alan Arkatov
Bryan LeRoy and Carol Lam
Antonio Manning
Samantha and David Martinez
Janet Dreisen Rappaport
John Rego
Tesoro
Casey and Margie White
John and Andrea Van de Kamp
Allyne Winderman and Glenn Wasserman
FRIENDS OF THE CORPS
Anonymous
Lori and Courtney Armstrong
Jacoba Atlas
Kenneth and Patty August
David Axelrad and Liza Bercovici
The Better World Group, Inc.
Catherine Beyer
Brentwood Country Club
Scott Budnick
Wendy and Steve Butts
Amanda Brown Chang
Jimmie Cho
Susan Chung
Portia Cohen
Cordoba Corporation
Cornelia Daly
Anthony Drockton
Lucy Eisenberg
Nancy Ellin
Susan and Alan Friedman
Dario Frommer
Bruce Glaser
Jeffrey Glaser
Steven Goldberg
David Goodman and Wendy Felson
GreenWish
Green Hasson & Janks LLP
Linda Hamilton
Carlyn Henry
Alice Hollenbeck
Robert Insolia
Nancy and Len Jacoby
Kaiser Permanente
Meg and Lawrence Kasdan
Jo Kaplan and Larry Feldman
Richard Katz
John Ketcham
Kindel Gagan
LA Urban Homes
Stuart Laff
Deanne Lebowitz
Alex Lopez
Miguel Luna
Tracy Mallory
Antonio Manning
Linda May & Jack Suzar
Jan Mendel
Millie Meyers
Tom Nides and Virginia Moseley
Allison and Thomas Musante
Ngoc Nguyen
Jill Olofson
George Pla
Terry Preciado
QueensCare
Tricia Riffenburgh
Frieda Rapoport Caplan
Mike Roos & Company
Alan Rothenberg
Nancy and Miles Rubin
Jack D. Sahl
Marisol Salguero
Stuart and Michele Shanus
Ann Savage
Brad and Michelle Schy
Steve and Carol Shestag
Ronald and Kathleen Silverman
Michael Soller
Gerald and Linda Stern
Reuben Tran
Dana and Toi Treister
Da’Lana Walker
Dwight Washabaugh
Diane Wayne and Ira Reiner
West Basin Municipal Water District
Michele Willens and David Corvo
Jacqueline Wilson
Suzanne Wilson
Kenneth Wilton
Dianne Wildman Burns
Michelle Wroan
Ann Wysocki
Adele Yellin
Wing Yeo
We apologize for any omissions. If you do not see your or your organization’s name listed above, please contact Tiffany Leung [email protected] to have this corrected.
Thank you to all of our government partners
who continue to support us and our mission!
AmeriCorps
Baldwin Hills Conservancy
California Conservation Corps
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection
California Department of Parks and Recreation
California Department of Resources Recycling
and Recovery (CalRecycle)
California Department of Transportation
California Natural Resources Agency
California State Coastal Conservancy
Central Basin Municipal Water District
City of Artesia
City of Azusa
City of Bell
City of Bell Gardens
City of Bellflower
City of Calabasas
City of Claremont
City of Inglewood
City of La Habra Heights
City of La Puente
City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works Office
of Community Beautification
City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation
City of Los Angeles Council District 1
City of Los Angeles Council District 13
City of Los Angeles Council Districts (all 15)
City of Los Angeles Department of General
Services
City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation
and Parks
City of Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils
City of Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement
City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce
Development Department
City of Norwalk
City of Pasadena
City of Ranchos Palos Verdes
City of Redondo Beach
City of Southgate
City of Torrance
County of Los Angeles Department of Beaches
and Harbors
County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and
Recreation
County of Los Angeles Supervisor Don Knabe
County of Los Angeles Supervisor Gloria Molina
County of Los Angeles Supervisor Mark RidleyThomas
County of Los Angeles Supervisor Mike
Antonovich
First 5 LA
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office
Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open
Space District
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Los Angeles Unified School District
Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Metropolitan Water District of Southern
California
Mountains Restoration and Conservation
Authority
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Rivers and Mountains
Conservancy
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Forest Service
U.S. National Park Service
West Basin Municipal Water District
MERCEDES MORTON
President & Chair
of the Board
SCOTT BUDNICK
JIMMIE I. CHO
GARY DUNN
ANNE FREIERMUTH, CPA
RISA GREEN
HELENANN HIRSCH
CHRIS MODRZEJEWSKI
ALBERT CHAVEZ
ANN HOLLISTER
STUART LAFF
BRYAN LeROY
MARY LESLIE
ANTONIO MANNING
SAMANTHA MARTINEZ
PHIL RECHT
JOHN REGO
MARISOL RODRIGUEZ
HEIDI SCHULMAN
STEVE SHESTAG
Vice Chair
Treasurer
TERESA CISNEROS BURTON
Board Secretary
ARI SWILLER
DANA S. TREISTER
JOHN VAN DE KAMP
JULIE WAXMAN
DAWN WILSON
We’re grateful for the service of these board members who left the board in fiscal year 2014:
Tina Castro, Janet Dreisen Rappaport, Bruce Glaser, Jack Sahl, Ph.D and Janet Teague
LA CONSERVATION CORPS
LA CONSERVATION CORPS
As we continue to transform lives and communities,
we hope you’ll consider making an investment in the
LA Conservation Corps. Your support will allow us to
positively impact more young lives whose efforts leave
behind a legacy that we can all enjoy.