For nearly five decades, the Mar Vista Family Center has made hope and empowerment possible for families in Los Angeles by offering educational, leadership development opportunities, and community-building programs to transform lives. Currently operating three main programs, the center focuses on supporting the whole-family process from early childhood through youth and community education.
In the spirit of service during this inauguration season, Loyola Marymount University is partnering with Mar Vista Family Center to host a donation drive to support families in the Los Angeles area. Donations can be made online via this Amazon Wishlist. The gifts purchased on this list will go to the Mar Vista Family Center holiday festivities. Families have requested gifts for their children as well as home goods to ease financial burdens during this time. For questions about the donation drive, please contact Jenny Fukunaga in CSA. See the full list of items below.
LMU’s Pam Rector Center for Service and Action began forging deeper connections with the community through collaborations with local nonprofit organizations. For more than two decades, LMU and the Mar Vista Family Center united around a shared mission, creating opportunities for students to engage in meaningful service throughout Los Angeles. The partnership extends beyond formal programs such as community-based learning courses, in which faculty incorporate service into their curricula. LMU students have recognized how it flourishes in everyday interactions and the warm, inclusive environment fostered by those at Mar Vista Family Center. The Creare Service Organization exemplifies this commitment through its weekly tutoring and active participation in the By Youth For Youth program, sustaining and strengthening the partnership through ongoing dedication.
Mar Vista Family Center currently operates in three main program areas that complement each other in a whole-family process, including early childhood education, youth, and community. Parents and their young children participate together in the Baby and Me and Preschool Programs, where children acquire basic learning skills, and their parents practice life and parenting skills. After graduation from the Preschool Program, children are encouraged to move on to the Youth Program – and its wealth of educational, recreational, and leadership activities – while their parents find new activities in the Community Program. Many parents in the Community Program are joined by their teenagers, who have successfully led and mentored youth projects and are ready to work towards achieving broad community goals.
This past summer, Mar Vista Family Center honored its partnership with LMU, highlighting the CSA as a community champion during its 13th annual Luncheon and Silent Auction. Three students from the Creare Service Organization and staff from CSA attended the luncheon, where Fukunaga, associate director, community and academic engagement in CSA, gave short remarks in gratitude to Mar Vista Family Center for helping LMU students rise over the years. “A core tenet of the LMU mission is to develop persons with and for others, and in CSA, we see our community partners as co-educators in our student’s journey as college students,” said Fukunaga. “The Mar Vista Family Center has provided a space for our students to learn and grow for over two decades.”
When Fukunaga asked students about their experience as volunteers, each student gave a personal testament about how serving the community at Mar Vista Family Center has also enhanced their experience at LMU. “The children of Mar Vista have taught our students about finding joy and the importance of building trust over time in relationships,” Fukunaga shared. “Our students have watched the kids they tutor strengthen their reading skills, become more confident public speakers, and learn to jump rope. But they have also spoken about how Mar Vista is a space of community that they treasure as a part of their weekly routine. One even described it as “comfort in the chaos of college life. There is a reason our students choose to come back week after week, year after year, to be a part of this special place. It is the love that permeates the walls and the intentionality of education as a shared responsibility, at Mar Vista, everyone learns from one another.”
Donation boxes will be available in the following locations on campus through Dec. 12 to collect new items:
- Pam Rector Center for Service and Action in St. Robert’s Annex
- Malone Student Center 355, Third Floor, in Student Employment Services
- University Hall Suite 2800, at the Front Desk for Marketing, Communications, and External Relations and University Advancement
Donation items needed include:
Household and personal care items
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Bar soap or body wash
- Shampoo
- Deodorant
- Feminine hygiene products (pads or tampons)
- Disposable razors
- Hand sanitizer
- Lotion or moisturizer
- Laundry detergent
- Vacuum
- Dish soap
- All-purpose cleaner or disinfectant wipes
- Toilet paper
- Paper towels
- Trash bags
- Sponges or cleaning cloths
- Bath towel
- Blanket or throw
- Socks (new)
- Diapers or baby wipes
- Mop and Broom
Clothing (Pre-K through High School)
- Socks and Underwear
- Pants
- Shirts/Blouses
- Jackets/Coats
- Shoes
Grocery Store Gift Cards
- Ralphs (Kroger)
- Northgate Market
Gifts (Pre-K through High School)
- Reusable water bottle or tumbler
- Cozy blanket or throw
- Scented candle
- Journal or notebook with pens
- Socks (fun or cozy pairs)
- Mug with hot cocoa or tea packets
- Small self-care set (lotion, lip balm, face mask)
- Puzzle, card game, or small board game (non-violent)
- Tote bag or reusable shopping bag