By Jojo Hoffman
Staff Writer
The harsh realities that individual and families face by being victims of traumatic hardship in Los Angeles County are being given a glimmer of hope by a group of Mira Costa students who have taken an active role in the 1736 Family Crisis Center’s Youth Advisory Board and established a 1736 Club at Mira Costa.
Founded in 2014, the purpose of the 1736 Club is to support and create awareness about the various services that 1736 Family Crisis Center, a nonprofit organization, provides in the community including assistance to at-risks youths and veterans and victims of teen dating violence, domestic abuse, unemployment and homelessness.
“We are a group that works to support everything that the 1736 Crisis Center and Shelters do,” President of 1736 Club, Talia Horrow said. “This ranges from discussing matters to raising money and deciding what we can do as young people to ensure that 1736 can provide the support necessary to combat poverty, homelessness and domestic violence.”
Since launching in 1972 with its Emergency Youth Shelter located in Hermosa Beach, the 1736 Family Crisis Center continues to expand and care for men, women, children and families who are in need of getting back on their feet after unfortunate circumstances. Trained and licensed professionals provide countless free services for clients in need including counseling, legal advice, job placement and life skills training.
“Today, there are four shelters for victims of domestic violence and one emergency youth shelter to help youth in crisis,” Avigal Horrow, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for 1736 Family Crisis Center said. “Other resources include four community service centers and five crisis and suicide hotlines available twenty-four hours a day.”
The Costa juniors that are part of 1736’s Voluntary Youth Advisory Board and who also started the 1736 Club are Allison Payne, Gabby Franco, Talia Horrow, Corey Horrow, Claire Haber, Kelsey Dubinsky, Sara James, Leah James, Jennifer Marer and Malia Hanks.
“The 1736 Youth Advisory Board, which is made up of local teen volunteers and graduates of their shelter programs, meets one Tuesday a month in order to act as a source of teen input for the youth shelters so that they can continue to evolve their services,” Talia Horrow said.
As members of the 1736 Youth Advisory Board, these girls discuss upcoming 1736 events, ways to raise awareness of the school club, and ways to educate themselves by understanding the challenges faced by the distressed individuals and families to which the organization caters.
“During Youth Advisory Board meetings we get to see the cards and posters that homeless or domestic violence victims draw to inspire themselves, and that really affects me the most,” Member of Mira Costa 1736 Club, Jenni Marer said. “Something about people putting their healing happiness into art is really raw, truthful and touching.”
Thus far, these Youth Advisory Board and 1736 Club members have attended after-school teen programs to inform at-risk youths about the 1736 Centers, have orchestrated two fundraisers and have participated in multiple walks to raise money and awareness for homeless youth.
“We have done a few outreach programs but our largest impact has been raising money for improvements in the shelters as well as raising awareness for the causes that bring youths and families into the shelter,” Talia Horrow said.
The 1736 Club at Mira Costa, which has a roster of about 20 members and is always open to new members, meets every other Friday at lunch in room 332, Mr. Kelly’s classroom.
“What I love most about being on the 1736 Club is doing such great work with my friends” said Alli Payne. “We talk about upcoming activities, organize fundraisers and also learn more about the people that we are trying to help so that we can come up with ways to improve their situations.”
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