Composed Living’s 8 Day of Giving

Composed Living partnered with 8 different charities this year! As a team we volunteered, donated and assembled kits to give back to the community. Read more below about each organization and how you can get involved!

Day 1 - Upward Bound House Farm

Creating food accessibility and education for homeless families in LA.

Urban Farm Project Mission: Healthy Living: The farm program is designed to promote healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle by teaching families to grow & prepare their own food.

Life Skills: Gardening, farming, shopping and cooking are integrated into the Life Skills classes offered to the parents in our program, and also as an enrichment activity in our children’s programs.

Community Engagement: We welcome residents, as well as volunteers from local schools and businesses, to grow, maintain and harvest the farm alongside families in our programs.

Our team spent a day volunteering at the Upward Bound House Urban Farm, and it was so rewarding. We looked for caterpillars on kale and lettuce, planted new produce, added to the compost, and many other tasks to help the farm. We can’t wait to return! Watch the video below to see more about our time on the farm.

How you can give back: Learn more about how you can volunteer at the farm or with the Upward Bound House here, including donation clothing to their

Day 2 - Alliance For Children's Rights

To protect the rights of children in poverty and those overcoming abuse and neglect by delivering free legal services, supportive programs, and systemic solutions.

Mission: Alliance for Children’s Rights advocates for the rights of vulnerable children, young adults, and families impacted by foster care. They work to help kids find stability after or during being in the foster care system. They provide mental and medical healthcare services, help them to get benefits they deserve and really need, educational services, and help to support the caregivers.

How you can give back: Your generous gift enables us to continue fulfilling our mission, during these uncertain times, and protect the rights of impoverished, abused, and neglected children and youth. Donate here!

Day 3 - C.A.S.A Court Appointed Special Advocates

CASA of Los Angeles improves the lives of children in the dependency system by pairing them with trained volunteer advocates

Mission: CASA/LA alleviates the feelings of abandonment and alienation that scar these young lives by harnessing the compassion and generosity of caring adults who can and do have an enormous impact on the development of the child at all ages. The genius of the CASA model is that it effectively capitalizes on a huge reservoir of caring by mobilizing it in service to children. CASA makes the crucial connection—one caring adult to one child in need—that can be the turning point in a life that has been disrupted. Our most significant accomplishments happen every day—when an overlooked opportunity is found, a service is secured or an adult connection is made that will help to keep a child safe and give him or her an opportunity to succeed in life.

The volunteers get to know the children and their circumstances, show them that someone cares, advocate for their best interests (including making recommendations to the Court), encourage them to grow to their fullest potential, and become involved in key issues in their life, especially permanent placement, and school, health, and mental health issues.

A CASA volunteer is often the sole consistent adult anchor for foster children. Children frequently remark how important it is to them that these tireless advocates are the only people in “the system” who are not paid to assist them. CASA volunteers give a voice to a child who cannot speak up for herself or himself and are frequently viewed as mentors or guides.

How We Gave Back: Elsa and our sustainability partner, Amanda, have been working with CASA and foster youth for a few years. Becoming a CASA was a way Elsa felt that she could really contribute in a meaningful way and participate in their life - her last case was almost 3 years and was a very rewarding, beautiful process. Composed Living also donates to CASA whenever possible, including furniture.

How you can give back: Sign up to be a volunteer and become a CASA yourself!

Day 4 - The People Concern

The People Concern believes no one should have to live on the street or in a violent household.

Mission: The People Concern empowers the most vulnerable among us to rebuild their lives.

With compassion and profound respect for those we serve, we provide a fully integrated system of care – including outreach, interim housing, mental and medical health care, substance abuse services, domestic violence services, lifeskills & wellness programs, and permanent supportive housing – tailored to the unique needs of homeless individuals, survivors of domestic violence, challenged youth, and others who have nowhere else to turn.

The People Concern’s model of integrated and comprehensive care empowers our participants to navigate the multi-faceted obstacles in their lives, become their best selves, and ultimately, connect with and contribute to their communities.

How We Gave Back: This year Composed Living assembled hygiene kits that were donated to the People’s Concern. Some of the items in the kits were shampoo and conditioner, hand warmers, beanies, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. They were each placed in individual bags so that they could be easily given to those in need by The People Concern. Check out our Instagram highlight for more footage!

How you can give back: Here you will find a list of ways to donate, from monetary, to the hygiene kits we did above, “welcome home” gift baskets, using their Amazon Smile and much more!

Day 5 - Two Wings

Mission: At Two Wings, we empower survivors of sex trafficking and those at risk of being trafficked to identify and pursue their dream vocation through mentoring programs, life skills classes and career training workshops, creating the path for a life of financial and physical independence.

Our dedicated volunteers and expert staff are committed to guiding our clients towards the future of their dreams. Our dream is to one day see how these transformed lives will dynamically impact our world for the better.

How We Gave Back: Our clients at Composed Living often donate items after the decluttering process. We found the perfect client that was getting rid of business attire, which is exactly what our Two Wings women needed. This will specifically help these women with job interviews! We will continue to help provide clothing and other product needs to Two Wings!

How you can give back: Two Wings offered a wide variety of volunteer opportunities so you can choose the one that you are best able to give back!

Day 6 - Downtown Women’s Center

The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) is the only organization in Los Angeles focused exclusively on serving and empowering women experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless women.

Services that they provide:

• Health and wellness services

• Community-based housing services

• On-site housing and supportive services

• Access to basic needs and resources through our Day Center

• Job readiness and employment training

• Advocacy training

• Public education and volunteering

• Research and evaluation

How We Gave Back: This year, Composed Living partnered with DTWC and created Starter Kitchen Kits! The kit is meant to help woman who are moving into a new home with the help of DTWC services. They contained household supplies such as dish soap, dish towels, all-purpose cleaners, and sponges.

How you can give back: Find all the way you can get involved here, from what items they are currently needing and where to donate, to volunteer opportunities!

Day 7 - Operation Blankets of Love

improve the health of homeless animals and increase their chances for survival and adoption. We aim to eliminate animal homelessness and euthanasia

They accomplish this by:

• Donating pet food, treats, blankets, towels, pet beds, leashes, collars, harnesses, toys, crates, medical and grooming supplies and other items to shelters, rescue groups, pets of the homeless, animal transporters, foster caretakers, and wildlife sanctuaries, including during natural disasters.

• Advocating for animal welfare through service-oriented humane education to children from pre-school age to high school.

• Donating pet food and supplies to homeless and low-income pet owners including veterans, the disabled, families and seniors.

• Promoting "Adoption is the Best Option."

How We Gave Back: We provided blankets to the Ventura County Animal Shelter located in Camarillo! Super easy for anyone to do.

What you can do: Contact your local shelter and ask what their local needs are or check out Operation Blankets of Love!

Day 8 - James Storehouse

James Storehouse encourages awareness and motivates community participation in support of children in foster care.

From cribs to college, James Storehouse supports children in foster care, those aging-out of foster care, children who have been commercially exploited, and at-risk youth by providing resources that will ease transitions and improve living conditions.

There are over 500,000 children in foster care. Most face unimaginable rejection, neglect, abuse and abandonment. Children in the foster care system are more susceptible to a variety of challenges such as homelessness, incarceration, teen pregnancy, human trafficking, substance abuse, and limited education.

What we did to help: When our organizing clients are wanting to part with furniture, we do our best to give back to organizations like James Storehouse. We most recently donated a dresser and a set of table and chairs!

How you can help: JSH created an online registry of their ongoing and emergency needs that help expedite safe placement of children. Please swipe up on link below and you'll be directed to the Amazon registry. You can have the items shipped to them, and they will deliver it directly to the foster child in need. Click here for more information!