Jovenes, Inc.

Founded in 1989, Jovenes, Inc. is a non-profit organization in Los Angeles whose mission has been to assist homeless and displaced young adults in primarily, but not exclusively Pico-Union/Westlake, Echo Park, South Central, East Los Angeles, Long Beach, Southeast LA, and Hollywood. It was founded by Fr. Richard Estrada, CMF originally an outreach to underage immigrants in 1969.
"Jovenes" is Spanish for youth, and the agency focuses its efforts on helping disenfranchised youth Its new facility, the Lloyd Monserratt Pleasant House opened in May 2006.
Background
Jovenes, Inc. currently serves more than 1,000 people a year and expects to serve as many as 2,000 in the coming year as its services expand. They aim to target specific population groups, which include homeless and at-risk youth who are aged 16-24; low-income women and families; and homeless individuals of all ages, with a special emphasis on the Latino homeless population.
Jovenes, Inc. offers employment services which include the teaching of resume building, interview skills and job referrals; a learning center with live and computerized life skills and vocational skills workshops, GED preparation, English as a Second Language, and computer classes; emergency shelter and transitional housing with supportive services for male youth 18-24; permanent, affordable housing with supportive services to open in 2008 for career bound homeless youth, 18-24, enrolled in trade apprenticeship, vocational training and college programs; case management and referrals; counseling and support groups; health education and referrals; HIV/AIDS education and testing; weekly street outreach to homeless Latinos including information, referrals, brown bag lunches and HIV education and testing; and a twice a week self-help group for homeless immigrants; and a community arts program offering painting, photography and film workshops for at-risk inner-city children and young adults.
Major programs
*Art to develop high quality visual public art projects that reflects the diversity of life perspectives in the urban environment.
*Social advocacy provide direct services to homeless youth, provide advocacy for the provision of emergency services to this population, and to educate the public of the plight of at-risk homeless youth

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