Meet your local nonprofits
The holidays are here, and along with parties, shopping and decorating, it’s also a time to think about giving back. The Hometown News area is home to great nonprofits, and we recently connected with the leaders of some of our favorites to learn more about their...
Meet the Westchester Family YMCA, supporting healthy living & social responsibility
If you’re not following all the projects, events and initiatives that are going on at your local YMCA, you’re missing out! Sure, there’s gym facilities, open swim, and exercise classes, but the Y is more than a gym, and the nonprofit really shines when it comes to...
Meet the Westchester Rotary, supporting Westchester’s organizations, events & projects
Since 1950, the Westchester Rotary Club has been supporting the community and making a difference in 90045. Perhaps best known for its Makeover Project, which has made big improvements over the years at local homes, the Westchester Senior Center, the Westchester...
Meet the Friends of Ballona Wetlands, supporting the wetlands through education, restoration, and more
For the Friends of Ballona Wetlands it’s all about education, restoration and advocacy. According to Executive Director Scott Culbertson, the coastal wetlands are an often-overlooked ecosystem that are incredibly important for the future of our planet. Not only do...
Meet AMCS, supporting mental health and training therapists
Taking care of your mental health has always been important, but as we come out of the pandemic, the need to focus on mental health has reached critical levels. While Westchester’s Airport Marina Counseling Service (AMCS) has served the community for more than 60...
Meet the LAX Coastal Education Foundation, supporting local schools & education
The LAX Coastal Education Foundation (LAXCEF) was launched in 2017 to support all schools—traditional public, private, charter and parochial—through grants, outreach and strategic partnerships. After a three-year hiatus, the nonprofit is excited to once again host the...
Meet The Home EC Center, supporting the lost art of home economics & building skills for success
The Home EC Center was founded in 2021 with the mission to reconnect youth to a lost art and to bring home economics back into people’s lives. With an eye to the future, Co-Founder and Executive Director Sydney Sonnier, believes that home economics will prepare people...
Historical Society revives holiday candle tradition
It’s all about candles and community this month! The Westchester/Playa Historical Society (WPHS) has been hosting Holiday Candle Making Workshops since September, and the final one of the season is being held mid-November. WPHS Board Member and community leader, Grant...
5 Questions with…Joe Chehade
For nearly his entire life, Joe Chehade has been advocating for peace and looking for ways to bring people together for a common purpose and understanding. Joe was born in Ethiopia to Egyptian parents and shortly after, the family moved to Lebanon. Joe loved growing...
Raise money for mental health by decorating your home for the holidays
Decorating your home for the holidays? Want to support mental health? The Westchester Mental Health Guild needs your support! The Guild’s largest fundraiser of the year is happening next month and the organization is calling all interested Westchester/Playa residents...