The Village is so excited to welcome our newest board member, Grant! It is imperative to our work as an organization to center the lived experience of our clients. This informs our programs, our approach – everything we do! We are so grateful to have Grant’s insight and expertise, and we know he will be an asset to The Village for years to come. We invite you to learn more about him, his background, and how The Village impacted his life, in his own words.

I’m 27 years old and living in LA. Right now, I’m studying psychology in college, working toward building a better understanding of mental health and how to support others. In my free time, I love spending time with my family. I enjoy going hiking when I can get out, cooking healthy food, hanging out with my grandma, and watching plenty of YouTube videos on current events.

[At the Drop-In Center] I received counseling/therapy sessions, help connecting to community resources, and lots of help getting connected to college so I could go back to school and further my education. I was also able to have somewhere to go to do my laundry. The therapy helped with my mental health struggles, but the practical basics (like the drop-in support for laundry, showers) and the education connections were huge. They gave me stability when I needed it most and let me focus on rebuilding.

Honestly, it was a really challenging period. I was dealing with family stress, some mental health struggles, and feeling like I was falling behind in life at a crisis point that would determine the rest of my life. Had I continued to stay there and didn’t have a turnaround immediately, things could have gone very differently. I was depressed and didn’t have a purpose to keep me looking forward to the next day. I was hoping for support to get stable, find some direction, and start moving forward again.

I’d say The Village is like having an extended family that has your back. They’re non-judgmental, super practical, and genuinely focused on helping everyone from individuals to families get stronger together. They offer real tools that can benefit you and remind you you’re not alone. They’re partners to help you build a better future. I got the stability and connection to education that I really needed. My mental health has improved, and my family relationships are much healthier and closer now. I’m managing stress way better and even started supporting others going through similar stuff. It was a huge shift going from survival mode to actually enjoying life and feeling proud of how far I’ve come.

Now, I’m most proud of having a positive mindset and continuing to work towards my goals and not letting anything or anyone else stop me. Also seeing my family happy means a lot to me. Personally, I’m proud I’ve rebuilt confidence and started giving back as well.

Please know that The Village doesn’t just help in the moment. It creates lasting change. People come in feeling broken and hopeless and leave with tools and hope that carry forward for years. The support they receive directly impacts and enables them to support everyone in our community. My story and my life is proof of that.