A growing group of students and young people are developing an expanded “Faith, Food, and Art” (or Fé, Comida y Arte” program at Baldwin Park United Methodist Church under the leadership of Pastors Toña and Rafael Rios, Rosie (UCLA), Alex Rios (CSU Pomona), and Ignacio Ponce (CSU Pomona Alum). My Familia encourages students of under-served communities to pursue higher education and equips them with critical thinking skills, love, and creativity so they may become a resource to their own communities. Twice a week and on Saturdays, students from pre-school to high school receive homework help in all subjects tutoring, mentoring, recreational activities, field trips, and music classes. With a Seeds of Hope grant in 2015, Mi Familia was able to provide needed after-school nutrition, take students on field trips, and buy studying materials. They really know how to stretch their dollars!

             Maria Campos               Dulce Jimenez                                 

This fall, Maria Campos, who has attended the program at the church since 2014, will be completing her first year at community college with a 4.0 GPA.  Dulce Jimenez, a high school senior, who also started attending the program in 2014 has received acceptance letters to CSU Fullerton,  CSU Pomona, and is waiting on UC Riverside, UC Irvine, and UC Merced.  We are very proud of Maria and Dulce, and grateful to all the friends and volunteers who have invested their time and love into My Familia. Great work!

If you would like to donate to My Familia through the Urban Foundation, please designate your donation to “Seeds of Hope”, and send us a quick email letting us know to forward100% of the amount to Baldwin Park UMC. Thank you!