News & Announcements

Rosie’s Story

Posted on by The Village

Rosie’s Story

“A Place I Can Call My Own.”

From a very young age, Rosie was the victim of family instability and homelessness, and much of her childhood was spent in foster care. When she turned 18, she encountered challenges that are faced by many young adults exiting the foster-care system: a lack of social support, stable housing, and accessibility to supportive services.

A kinesiology student at California State University, Northridge, Rosie was balancing school, work and the daily search for her next warm meal, hot shower and safe place to sleep. Then she found The Village Family Services and was connected to a case manager, Allan Gonzalez. Allan worked with Rosie to identify her goals and potential barriers to reaching those goals. Together, they created a stability plan designed to contribute to Rosie’s overall well-being. That included finding a home.

With Allan’s help, Rosie visited apartment after apartment. But without adequate income, she was unable to secure a place to live. The Village offered employment guidance, helping her update her résumé and provided job leads with flexible schedules, so she could continue her college studies.

Rosie began working two part-time jobs and increased her income. After a year and a half of searching, Rosie moved into her own apartment in Panorama City, where she lives today. She loves having a safe place to socialize with family and friends, and where she can study without the constant worry of where her next meal, shower or shelter was going to come from. She excels at her kinesiology studies, and says she owes her success and stability to the support she received, and continues to receive, from The Village.

thevillage-story-rosie

“As a young adult with experience in the foster-care system, I can tell you that it hurts feeling like you’re alone in this struggle,” Rosie says. “Because of The Village Family Services, my grades drastically improved, and I finally have a home. I’m so grateful and so much happier than I was just a couple of years ago, because I have a place I can call my own. My belongings are there and protected. I have a bed that is mine, a kitchen that is mine – and most importantly, a home that is mine.”

– Rosie

Gayle’s Story

Posted on by The Village

Gayle’s Story

“The Village Put Their Faith in Me.”

Gayle Alvarez’s childhood was marked by instability. Her parents separated when she was little, and she bounced back and forth, living first with one parent, then the other. When her mother became ill and required full-time assistance, Gayle dropped out of high school to care for her.

When her mother’s health deteriorated further, Gayle had to move again. A series of unsatisfactory living situations followed. By the time she turned 18, she was living out of her car. Then her car was towed, and she didn’t have the resources to retrieve it.

Despite overwhelming odds, Gayle was determined to continue her education. By this time, she had graduated from a charter high school and was studying to be a medical assistant.

“Since coming to The Village, I had dreamed of working there,” Gayle says. “So I got my résumé together and literally begged for a job.”

It happened that The Village was in the process of creating an employment referral program. Gayle became one of its first employment specialists, attending job fairs and recruiting community partners for The Village’s Drop-In Center.

Now 23, Gayle credits The Village for their support, and her own determination to make a better life for herself.

thevillage-story-gayle

Nothing in life is free. You have to want to make it. But The Village put their faith in me. And that has made a life-changing difference.

– Gayle

Gayle working with a client of The Village. Gayle working with a client of The Village.

The Village’s COVID-19 Protocols

Posted on by The Village

Hours of Operation

  • Main office located in North Hollywood will run from 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday and closed on Saturday & Sunday. In advance of coming to the main offices located in North Hollywood, please call (818) 755-8786 for important information regarding your visit.
  • The Drop-In Center in North Hollywood will continue with our regularly scheduled hours.
  • The Family Wellness Center in Huntington Park will be closed to the public.

Currently, visits to our facilities are limited to the public and any individuals receiving services from The Village will be expected to comply with the following protocols in order to receive services:

  • All staff and clients must wear a face covering while in public or high-risk settings.
  • Frequent and thorough hand washing (every 30 minutes with soap for at least 20 seconds)
  • Social distancing of at least 6 feet at all times and in all situations
  • Refraining from touching one’s mouth or face
  • Refraining from shaking hands

We ask that you follow and support our safety protocols to keep you and our neighbors safe. Please You can find further safety protocols for each of our locations:

North Hollywood

North Hollywood- Drop-In-Center

Huntington Park

The following protocols must be followed by all the staff at The Village Family Services:

  • Wear a face covering in shared spaces including, hallways, breakrooms, stairwells, and shared work spaces
  • Frequent and thorough hand washing (every 30 minutes with soap for at least 20 seconds)
  • Social distancing of at least 6 feet at all times and in all situations
  • Covering one’s mouth upon coughing or sneezing
  • Refrain from touching one’s mouth or face
  • Refrain from shaking hands
  • Report to HR if you are sick or experiencing virus-associated symptoms (cough, sneezing, sore throat, fever, shortness of breath, among others)
  • Report to HR if you believe or know that you may have come in contact with someone with virus-related symptoms or an actual diagnosis
  • Report to HR if you have been off from work due to illness (your own or a family member or someone that you live with) and are planning to resume work
  • Refrain from coming to work and/or staying at work if you are ill or are experiencing any symptoms related to the coronavirus

In addition to the protocols stated above, The Village’s Coronavirus Taskforce – including leadership & key staff – meets twice a week to discuss The Village’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and to monitor the safety protocols of our staff and clients.  Below are steps the organization is taking to ensure the safety of staff & clients:

  • Sanitizing thrice daily work surfaces (i.e., counter tops, conference tables, doorknobs/handles, elevator buttons, security keypads, computers, keyboards, telephones, and office equipment)
  • Staff also sanitizes frequently touched objects upon each use
  • Providing necessary PPE for all employees to be able to complete their job duties
  • Instituting a Daily Coronavirus Employee Symptom Screening Checklist Sign-In form.

Charla Virtual: Salud Mental Durante el Aprendizaje en Casa

Posted on by The Village

¡Estamos EN VIVO!

Charla Virtual: Salud Mental Durante el Aprendizaje en Casa

Únete a la charla virtual con nuestra presentadora de @AccesoTotalShow, @ArmidaOficial y expertos de Adventist Health White Memorial @AdventistHealth y Village Family Services @TheVillageFS quienes compartirán consejos e información para mantener la salud mental durante el aprendizaje desde casa.

Envía tus preguntas usando la sección de comentarios.

https://www.telemundo52.com/comunidad… #ApoyandoANuestraComunidad #Telemundo52 #T52SiempreContigo #ElPoderEnTi

The Village Family Services Chosen As A 2020 Nonprofit of the Year

Posted on by The Village

CA-Nonprofit-of-the-Year-2020-seal-for-honorees-transparent

Nonprofit Honored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas of the 39th District

North Hollywood, CA – The Village Family Services is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year by Assemblymember Luz Rivas of the 39th District.

The Village Family Services is one of over a hundred other nonprofits that will be honored by their state senators and assemblymembers for their tremendous contributions to the communities they serve.

“We are incredibly grateful to Assemblymember Rivas for nominating us,” said Hugo Villa, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Village. “She is truly a champion and advocate for the children, families and homeless youth we serve.”

The Village Family Services is leader in providing a full spectrum of trauma-informed, culturally sensitive services to children, youth and families so that they can lead safe, healthy and productive lives. Now in its 20th year, The Village is widely recognized for delivering vital support to homeless youth and those who identify as LGBTQ, and for its commitment to ending youth homelessness.

Each year, California Assembly members and State Senators are invited by the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits) to recognize an outstanding nonprofit in their District that is making a difference in their local community.

“Receiving this recognition is truly an honor,” added Irma Seilicovich, The Village’s Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. “Young people come to us looking for a way to move forward. We are proud to be part of the San Fernando Valley community that is working together to make a meaningful difference in their lives.”

“The pandemic and shelter-in-place orders of the last few months have put nonprofits  – usually hidden in plain sight – in the spotlight,” explains Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits). “California Nonprofit of the Year is an opportunity for our elected officials to celebrate the good work they see nonprofits doing in their districts, and for everyone to appreciate the collective impact of nonprofits in our communities.”

Additional Background

For the last five years, legislators from across California have chosen a Nonprofit of the Year in their district. Traditionally, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector Assemblywoman Monique Limón (Santa Barbara) and CalNonprofits invited legislators and honorees to a celebratory luncheon on California Nonprofits Day. This year, the June luncheon was canceled in response to the Shelter-in-Place orders, but legislators have moved forward with honoring nonprofits doing great work in their districts.

According to “Causes Count,” a 2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, the nonprofit sector is the 4th largest industry in the state, employing more than 1.2 million people. Each year, California nonprofits generate more than $273 billion in revenue and bring in $40 billion in revenue from outside of California. The unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 330,000 full-time jobs every year.

Justice and Equity Statement

Posted on by The Village

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The past days and weeks have, once again, underscored the tremendous injustices in our society. We join with our employees, our clients, our friends, and our neighbors in voicing our pain and deep frustration with the longstanding systems that oppress and devalue Black lives.

The Village Family Services is deeply committed to righting the wrongs of inequality and injustice. Twenty years ago, we founded our organization because we were witnessing first-hand the disastrous effects of institutional prejudice and the disparities of social service systems in the treatment of communities of color and LGBTQ people. At that moment, we were compelled to act on our belief that all people are created equal, and that living a healthy and productive life is a right for everyone, not a privilege for the few.

We stand with the Black community and with all victims of racism and trauma, and we are dedicated to helping to build a nation in which all people are treated fairly, with dignity and respect.

In doing so, we will continue investing our time, energy and resources to support communities that have been historically marginalized. And we will increase our efforts to fight for the systemic changes that are so urgently needed.

We whole-heartedly believe that our collective efforts can and will make a difference.

Thank you for joining in this important work.

thevillage-signature-hugo Hugo Villa, LMFT
CEO & Co-Founder thevillage-signature-irma Irma Seilicovich, LMFT
COO & Co-Founder

Women’s Wellbeing Index

Posted on by The Village

When women thrive, their families and communities prosper. Yet despite decades of progress, women still face persistent disparities on a range of issues, from economic security to health to participation in political leadership. By viewing women’s well-being as encompassing various distinct yet interrelated components, policymakers, advocates, service providers, and community members can begin to craft policy solutions that help make California a place where all women and their families can thrive.

20th Anniversary: Annual Report 2018-19

Posted on by The Village

Twenty Years Strong

This is a special time for The Village Family Services as we look back and celebrate two decades of success helping vulnerable children, youth and families in our community.

It’s been an extraordinary journey and we are grateful to pause for a moment to celebrate all that has been accomplished, and to consider all that remains to be done.

The Village was established to meet an urgent need. As social workers in 1990s Los Angeles, we were seeing a critical shortage of bilingual, bicultural social services for Latinx children and families, particularly in the region’s San Fernando Valley.

We founded The Village to fill the gap in services for the Valley’s most vulnerable and underserved residents. Through the years, we’ve advanced and expanded our operations to include a full spectrum of trauma-informed programs and services, including vital support for homeless youth and those who identify as LGBTQ.

Today, we are a leader in the field, welcoming clients at three separate locations that offer a total of 25,000 square feet of program space. On the following pages, you’ll learn more about us, and will meet several clients who, with help from The Village, have acquired the knowledge and skills they need to reclaim their lives and thrive.

We know that our work has been made possible by the incredible generosity and support of our board, donors, community partners and amazing dedicated staff.

Thank you, and here’s to the next 20 years!

With hope and inspiration,

thevillage-signature-hugo Hugo C. Villa, LMFT
Chief Executive Officer thevillage-signature-irma Irma Seilicovich, LMFT
Chief Operating Officer

Annual Report 2017-18

Posted on by The Village

Message from Our Co-Founders

When Irma and I founded The Village Family Services, our hope was to not only combine expertise with compassion, but to create services for those who need it most, holding fast to our ideals of fostering hope, transforming lives, and securing futures.

Our work in the San Fernando & Santa Clarita Valleys and the Greater Los Angeles communities on behalf of the most at risk among us – the children, youth, and families – is more vital than ever these days.

You might wonder, how does The Village continue to be relevant in today’s challenging environment? The answer is in our people – employees, donors, supporters, and volunteers – who are deeply committed to continuing in our efforts to assist those we serve with an emphasis on a client-centered, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based model of care.

As we look ahead, our core goals remain steadfast: meeting the needs of our underserved children, youth, adults, and families; continuing in our efforts to innovate and grow to take on the challenges brought on by the epidemic of homelessness; and providing hope and healing to the most fragile members of our community with exceptional care.

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating all that we have accomplished, and look ahead with us towards all that can yet be achieved, together.

thevillage-signature-hugo Hugo C. Villa, LMFT
Chief Executive Officer thevillage-signature-irma Irma Seilicovich, LMFT
Chief Operating Officer

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