Please join us in celebrating our 20th anniversary in 2008!
• Young Adult Corps
• The SEA Lab
• High School Diploma Program
• Clean & Green
• After School Program
• Good Beginnings Early Childhood Education Program
Community Tools
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EcoAcademy Curriculum
• Transformational
Report
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Appendices
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Report
• Transformational Tools
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Welcome to Tools
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Curricula
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Periodicals
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Policy
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Program
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P&A
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Teaching
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Master Index
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Admin Toolbox
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Rubric
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• 2005 annual report (pdf)
• 2004 annual report (pdf)
• 2003 annual report (pdf)
• 2002 annual report (pdf)
• IRS 501(c)(3) status letter (pdf)
• Section 23701d - State of California Franchise Tax Board - Charitable Purpose Determination (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 06/07 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 05/06 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 04/05 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 03/04 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 02/03 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 01/02 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 00/01 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 99/00 (pdf)
• Form 990 - FY 98/99 (pdf)
The LA Conservation Corps (the Corps) is the largest nonprofit youth conservation corps in the country. The Corps was developed so youth from Los Angeles inner-city communities could gain work experience while developing their skills and contributing to their communities. Here is a brief history of how the Corps programs have developed and the awards we’ve received during almost 20 years of serving the greater Los Angeles area:
1986
LA Conservation Corps was founded on April 16, 1986 with the opening of our first Young Adult Corps program site South Central Los Angeles.
1988
The Clean & Green program was created to employ middle & high school students during their school breaks.
1989
The Russell Kantor Scholarship Fund was established in memory of the son of LA Conservation Corps founder, Mickey Kantor.
1992
The Good Beginnings Early Childhood Education Program was created to serve the children of young adult participants and toddlers in the Pico Union District.
1993
LA Conservation Corps begins operating its second Young Adult Corps program site in East Los Angeles.
1993
During the fires and floods, LA Conservation Corps participants report for service, filling sand bags and assisting firefighters.
1995
The Building Up Los Angeles program, the precursor to the Corps' current After School Program, is created as one of the first AmeriCorps National Service Programs.
1996
• LA Conservation Corps celebrates its 10th Anniversary.
• The Girls Today Women Tomorrow program is created to mentor girls between the ages 13 and 21 in East Los Angeles.
• Honored with PEPNet (Promising and Effective Practices Network) Award for Excellence in Workforce Development by the National Youth Employment Coalition.
• Honored with Outstanding Environmental Education Program Award by the National Wildlife Federation.
• Honored with Outstanding Youth Program Award by the City of Los Angeles, Community Development Department.
• Honored with Chevron Conservation Award.
• Honored with Helen Glenny Award for Outstanding Member Service by Earth Share of California.
• LA Conservation Corps’ Executive Director, Bruce Saito, honored with Outstanding Professional of the Year Award on National Philanthropy Day.
1997
• LA Conservation Corps begins operating its first charter high school site at the Main St. Center, where young adults can earn their second chance at a high school diploma. Also, the SEA Lab program opens in Redondo Beach to teach young people about coastal conservation.
• Honored with Outstanding Youth Program Award for second consecutive year by City of Los Angeles, Community Development Department.
• Honored with Award for Outstanding Service by an Organization at the Local Level by the North American Association for Environmental Education.
1999
• Honored with the National Environmental Education Achievement Award by the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation.
• Honored with the Kodak-American Greenways Award.
2000
• LA Conservation Corps begins operating its second charter high school site, Youth Opportunities High School, in Watts.
• Honored with AT&T Environmental Achievement Award at Renew America’s National Awards for Environmental Sustainability Ceremony.
2001
• LA Conservation Corps begins operating its third Young Adult Corps program site, now known as the Commonwealth Nursery, in Griffith Park.
2002
• LA Conservation Corps begins operating its third charter high school site, the EcoAcademy, in the Pico Union District of Los Angeles.
2003
• Renovation of LA Conservation Corps’ South LA Center is completed.
• Honored for second time with Helen Glenny Award for Outstanding Member Service by Earth Share of California.
2004
• LA Conservation Corps Clean & Green program celebrates 15 years of service to local youth and neighborhoods.
• Youth participants provide recycling collection service at a record-breaking 95 special events, including the Rose Bowl.
• Trained more than 100 college-aged youth to serve as first time poll workers on Election Day.
• Youth participants in the Corps’ Youthbuild program enjoy a first-place victory at the 2004 Homebuilders Council construction competition.
• LA Conservation Corps invited to compete and wins funding from Corporation for National Service to start a Forest Recovery Team program in San Bernardino National Forest, which engages young adults in providing habitat restoration and emergency response services in fire-ravaged local mountains.
2005
• The Corps' charter high school sites award diplomas to 62 students, all of whom had dropped out of traditional high schools.
• The Corps’ Transitional Living Program shelters 20 previously at-risk of becoming homeless.
• Youth participants collected over 1,000,000 pounds of debris.
• Youth participants rescued more than 1,000 marine animals from local power plant intakes.
• Youth participants provide recycling collection service at a record-breaking 122 special events, including USC and UCLA football games.
• The Corps' Good Beginnings staff serve as expert commentators on the KCET series “A Place of Their Own,” which provides parents, educators and child care providers with info on child development.
• The Corps' SEA Lab program begins offering summer camp.
• The Corps' Staff Member wins Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding efforts and accomplishments for the city.
• The Corps' Teacher Wins QuikScience Award.
Mickey Kantor, a former secretary of commerce and U.S. trade representative, founded the Los Angeles Conservation Corps in 1985. He served as Board President until 1992, when he began serving as the National Chair for the 1992 Clinton/Gore campaign.
Mr. Kantor has won numerous awards including the William O. Douglas Award from the Public Counsel Law Center, the Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Public Service Award from the Hugh O'Brien Foundation and the San Francisco Bay Area World Trade Center's 1996 Excellence in Trade Award.
Bruce Saito - Executive Director
Bruce has a long history of outstanding service to Los Angeles and California. In 1976, he joined the California Conservation Corps (CCC), working with youth at various locations throughout the state. He rose to the level of Program Director, directing and developing work and education programs for youth. In 1985, Bruce was hired to be part of a team to start the LA Conservation Corps, and in 1995 was promoted to Executive Director.
Bruce has served as President of the National Association of Service and Conservation Corps and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Directors of Gardens for Kids. He has been honored for his service by the City and County of Los Angeles, the State of California and the federal government, and has been honored with a National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Professional Award. Bruce received his B.A. degree from San Francisco State University.
Reyna is Director of LA Conservation Corps' Corpsmember Development Department. She oversees case management, Transitional Living and the Education program. Previously, she was a case manager and teacher at the Corps' for four years. Her prior professional experience includes work with Edelman Family Court and at a shelter for runaway youth. She is certified in family violence and child maltreatment prevention, and has served as a volunteer with Assault Against Women and suicide hotlines. Reyna earned both her B.A. and Masters degrees in Social Work.
Wendy Butts – Contract Compliance Officer
Wendy has over seven years of experience managing and implementing LA Conservation Corps programs. In her current role, ensures that the organization is in compliance with all obligations as established by law or contractual agreement. This position is responsible for ensuring that the organization as a whole has a sufficient knowledge and understanding of the legal, policy, and regulatory environment needed and that agency resources are used to their best and highest end without unreasonable exposure to risk. This position is also responsible for developing and monitoring the organizations records management systems. Wendy has her B.S. degree in Journalism, and an M.B.A. degree in International Finance.
Dan Knapp - Conservation Programs Division Director
Dan oversees the Corps' conservation services that engage youth between the ages of 18 and 24. He is currently responsible for over $7 million in project funds. His experience includes teaching environmental science to at-risk youth, and managing the implementation of environmental service projects including the Department of Water & Power’s Trees for A Green LA program and Cool Schools project. Dan holds a B.A. and a Masters degree in Geography. He is also an ISA-certified arborist (WE-6295-A) and a Master Gardener.
Irene Lopez – Sr. Director of Conservation Programs
Irene is a Los Angeles native who has worked with youth at LA Conservation Corps for two decades. She was first hired in 1990 as a Team Leader, then promoted to Assistant Regional Coordinator, then to Crew Supervisor and eventually to Program Director - a role in which she’s served for seven years. Irene is now responsible for an annual budget of approximately $4.5 million and for the work and safety of thousands of youth participants each year. Irene attended East Los Angeles College.
Bo Savage – Sr. Director of Conservation Programs
Bo is a dedicated environmentalist who has planned, implemented and overseen hundreds of youth conservation projects. He began his career at LA Conservation Corps 14 years ago, supervising middle school students participating in conservation projects. Next, Bo began coordinating projects for young adult crews, including large-scale graffiti removal projects and tree plantings. In his current role, Bo manages over $3.5 million in conservation service contracts program for the Corps’ Young Adult Corps program. He has been a Master Gardener and is presently studying to become a Certified Arborist. Bo holds a a B.A. in Recreation and Leisure Studies from California State University, Long Beach.
Mary Helen Vasquez – Program Director, Good Beginnings Early Childhood Education Program
Mary Helen has been providing social services to Los Angeles families for 15 years. She has also taught at schools across Los Angeles, and is a multi-certified literacy tutor and trainer. An active volunteer in the community, Mary Helen has served on Boards of Directors and guiding committees for the Pico Union Westlake Cluster Network, Emergency Network Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Child Care Planning Committee. She graduated from UCLA and is pursuing a Masters degree in Education.
Lynda Via – Program Director, After School Program
Lynda has developed the After School Program program for more than a decade, first as a volunteer who helped write the program’s initial planning grant, then as a staff member, and finally as Program Director. Lynda also helped bring the After-School Learning and Safe Neighborhood Partnership Program to LAUSD schools. Presently, she serves on the Los Angeles County of Education’s After-School Training and Technical Assistance Committee, and on the LAUSD After-School Executive Team. She earned her B.A. in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach.
Raynetta Winston – Human Resources Director
Raynetta brings a wealth of experience and training to the Corps' from working with the full spectrum of organizations, from a Fortune 500 company to smaller nonprofit organizations. She is a Franklin Covey LLC Certified Coach, and has participated in the Advanced Program in Human Resources Management at the Anderson Graduate School of Management, UCLA. Raynetta earned her MBA from Azusa Pacific University.
Officers
• Ann Hollister – President & Board Chair
• Helenann Hirsch – Vice President & Annual Luncheon Chair
• Albert Chavez - Vice President, Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
• Beverly Ryder – Secretary
• Aileen Adams
• Donald Bailey, Sr.
• Janet Dreisen – Development Committee Chair, Past Board Chair
• Matthew Karatz
• Mary Leslie, Program Committee Chair
• Stuart Laff
• Andy Lipkis
• Chris Modrzejewski
• Sheila Morris
• Mercedes Morton, Esq.
• Phil Recht
• Michael J. Robbins
• Heidi Schulman
• Ari Swiller
• Janet Teague
• Dana Treister, Esq.
• Dahni Tsuboi, Esq.
• Jason Turner
• John Van de Kamp, Esq. – Audit Committee Chair, Past Board Chair
• Legal Counsel: Jason Taketa, Esq.
• Ed Avila
• Carol Biondi
• John Bryson
• Sharon Davis
• Rudy DeLeon
• Martha Diepenbrock
• Warren Furutani
• Gil Garcetti
• Fernando Gomez
• Larry Gotlieb
• Jan Levine
• Genethia Hudley-Hayes
• Harry Hutchison
• George Kieffer
• Maureen Kindel
• Michael Levin, Esq.
• Andi Liebenbaum, Esq.
• Elwood Lui
• Jerry McGee
• Tom McMorrow
• J. Michael Mendez
• Craig Miller, Esq.
• Dionicio Morales
• Vanessa Morris
• Connie Rice, Esq.
• Nancy Daly Riordan
• Mike Roos
• Mark Rosenthal
• Ben Sherwood
• Lisa Specht
• Peter Taylor
• Bruce Willison
• Adele Yellin
Please email us at info@lacorps.org