SHELTER 37, Inc. was founded in 1993 as a not-for-profit public benefit corporation that provides quality after-school enrichment and life skills programs in southern California. The mission of SHELTER 37 is to ensure quality of life for all children and mature adults as well as to eliminate disparities in academic achievement among all children. SHELTER 37 seeks to improve the overall well being of children whose life experiences heretofore have been disrupted by crime, violence, neglect, or abandonment. As a result of their environment, these children have turned or potentially may turn to gangs, crime, drugs, or a combination thereof or have or potentially may become withdrawn, anti-social, or socially inept. SHELTER 37's educational childcare facilities are designed to provide children with the tools they need to succeed in life and overcome the challenges within their environment. The goals in SHELTER 37's programs are significant:

• to create an environment that gives preschool age children the maximum opportunity to succeed upon entering Kindergarten
• to help children grow to be socially dynamic, academically capable, cognitively aware, and socially conscious
• to give children the essential life skills to empower and motivate them to succeed in life

After-school Enrichment Program

The academically enriched after-school programs offer many features that have not traditionally been offered by educational childcare and/or after-school programs. These features include:

transportation to and from the facility to ensure safe and convenient access

· nontraditional operating hours to accommodate parents/caregivers working nontraditional and weekend hour

· special needs and ill children care

· linguistic and foreign language instruction including Spanish

· music lessons including instruction in piano and violin

· etiquette training

· physical activity and personal development including swimming, dance, drama, and jazz

· educational fieldtrips to locations such as the Science Museum, Los Angeles Zoo, and Multicultural Centers

· age & developmentally appropriate playscapes including swings, slides, etc.

· reading areas that promote parents reading to their children, children reading to their teachers, and teachers reading to their students an educationally sound curriculum

Shelter 37 will also offer parent enrichment programs including parenting, mentoring, financial stewardship, and other parent and community enrichment courses designed to improve and overall environment in which preschool and school-age children reside.

"Goals for Life" Program

Goals for Life is a co-educational program that offers at-risk students a game plan for success. Combining the talent of former and active professional athletes, Goals for Life has developed a goal-oriented program structured for at-risk students.

Drawing on their personal experiences, the athlete speaks of the enthusiasm, drive and determination that were the primary factors in assisting them in achieving their goals.

Goal for Life beaches at-risk youth that what applies in the world of sports, also applies to education. Qualities such as preparation, high self esteem, perseverance, and confidence, combine to succeed in a winning combination in all fields and endeavors.

UCLA Football 'College Experience' Program

In partnership with the Athletic Department of UCLA, SHELTER 37 provides over 5,000 southern California youth with transportation and tickets to UCLA football games at the Rose Bowl. In the next few years, these numbers are expected to grow to about 10,000. For many of these kids, this is the first exposure they have had to college. The excitement of being in a college environment, even a sporting event, may be all the motivation a person needs to set their goals toward higher education.

In addition, with the UCLA Athletic Department, SHELTER 37 hosts an annual Football Camp with the entire football coaching staff. Over 600 children participate. This is a fantastic, fun event that exposes youth to a real 'college' environment, and teaches them what discipline and practice can help them achieve.

Future Goals

SHELTER 37, Inc. seeks to operate "house model" group homes in addition to hosting quality after-school programs in southern California. The group homes will provide a protective physical environment for children with emotional and physical problems, sibling groups, probation-supervised youth, parenting teens, and youth transitioning to independent living programs.

James Washington founded SHELTER 37, Inc. as a solution to the inadequate provision of quality care facilities for children in southern California. According to the Los Angeles County Childcare Needs Assessment, Los Angeles has less that 10% of the licensed out-of-home care capacity it needs for children under the age of 5. Of those, less than 5% are accredited by the national organization that provides such credentials (the number of accredited centers is a crucial measure of quality childcare in each state). Quality out-of-home care for children that have become wards of the court are under protective services is another issue requiring immediate attention. The California Department of Children and Family Services and the California Department of Corrections report a significant influx of children requiring out-of-home care, especially at the higher rate classification levels (RCLS). In a letter dated April 21, 1999, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) announced that the Director may waive State regulations governing the operation of group homes to enable counties to implement performance agreements for alternative services "that enhance the ability of children to remain in the least restrictive, family setting possible and address the needs and strengths of children and their families. CDSS also conducted a Phase 1 Report on the education of children residing in group homes and concluded:

· Almost half of the children fail to complete high school

· Half are unemployed upon exiting the system

· 40% are on public assistance

Regulatory changes scheduled to take effect in 2002 are anticipated to further increase the need for quality out-of-home care. These changes include the sunset of welfare-to-work and reduction of federal Title 1 monies. To address these issues, Mr. Washington is developing programs aimed at impacting these needs by:

· Providing quality "house model" group homes that can accommodate up to 50 children each

· Offering quality educational childcare

· Developing personal improvement & educational programs aimed at providing children valuable guidance, self-confidence, life skills, and mentorship while working toward reunification with their biological family, or in the absence of this opportunity, self-sufficiency and independent living

· Designing state-of-the-art residential facilities

· The outcomes resulting from SHELTER 37's programs will be significant:

· The majority of children residing in SHELTER 37 group homes will be groomed to reunite with their biological families

· The remainder of children residing in SHELTER 37 group homes will be prepared for independent living through SHELTER 37, Inc. self-sufficiency programs

· Group home and educational childcare children will be able to transition into society as viable, socially capable members.

Won't you please help make these programs and goals even more successful?

Please donate to SHELTER 37 today.