Today we’d like to introduce you to Lydia Floyd.
Lydia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Lydia Floyd.
I am CEO and Founder of Hands4Hope LA and Simple Data Nonprofit Consulting.
Hands4Hope LA was founded to help single and/or low income parents and their children. We are here to serve their families with after school programs for the kids and resources and support for their parents.
My mother had EPILEPSY and 4 children to raise alone. Her illness caused her to be unable to work so we were poor but we survived due to her strength and belief that God would take care of us.
The kids have classes after school. Guitar,Drums,Piano, Boxing, Cooking, Science, Sports Fundamentals, field trips and more.
The parents have a monthly food pantry, resources and referrals to services they need to help with parenting, homelessness, illness and more.
I started the consulting company because many would ask how did you start and run a nonprofit for 25 years. I now want to help those who are struggling to help others in their nonprofit. I have walked a mile in their shoes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Funding, funding, funding. Without funding how do you hire and pay staff to help with the kids?. How do you buy food to feed them what is sometimes their only meal.? How can we continue to get supplies for classes or pay instructors?
We are grateful to be one of the first agencies chosen to receive funding from the new County Department of Youth Development but it is only enough to survive not enough to grow.
Monthly donations helps us not only to continue to survive but to grow and support more kids and their families at three sites in the San Fernando Valley.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are proud to distribute food to the parents, to check each day and note that grades and attendance are improving in school due to our programs and homework help.
We are more than your average after school program because we are there for parents and they know it. We are grassroots and on the frontlines when they are going through challenges. We help when we can, as much as we can. Thousands of families since 2000.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Starting a business is a risk.
Running a nonprofit is a risk because the income each year is n9t guaranteed. Government grants require so much but are only a year long so we have to have other sources of support.
I believe we have to keep going in the face of lack of funding to pay staff so we get volunteers. In the face of no funds for water or food for the kids si we ask for in kind donations.
Taking this risk has helped so many so we will keep taking risks as long as we can.
Pricing:
- $50 a month pays for a week of snacks
- $100 a month pays for two weeks of food or helps with equipment for music class
- $500 pays for insurance
- $1000 pays for a program coordinator to help with homework
- $5000 pays for rent and utilities
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.hands4hopela.org
- Instagram: @hands4hopela
- Facebook: @hands4hopela
- LinkedIn: @hands4hopela
- Twitter: @hands4hopela
- Youtube: @hands4hopela
Image Credits
Sheryl Aronson
