ABOUT US
Project EDUCATE, founded formerly in 2018 by LaTanya Sherman, is a Los Angeles based 501c3 non-profit organization that seeks to eradicate homelessness and
minimize its dehumanizing effects. Project EDUCATE primarily services the Skid Row community, but intends to implement sustainable change across LA county and its surrounding areas. This is an organization that doesn’t discriminate, providing services to men, women, and children of all racial, cultural, religious, and sexual backgrounds. Project EDUCATE advocates for ALL of Los Angeles, and we’re committed to creating structural changes that address the devastating crisis that is homelessness in Los Angeles. We’re dedicated to providing essential services to the homeless such as housing, health care, economic stimulants, personal and intellectual development.
Homelessness is nothing short of a human tragedy and must be addressed appropriately. Within the Los Angeles area, there are close to 60,000 homeless people and families which is a larger population size than some countries. When further examining this population, it’s noted that 65% of the population has lived in LA county for at least 2 consecutive decades meaning this is largely an issue of displacement. A little over 1 in 5 homeless adults are over the age of 62, and approximately 1 in 10 homeless individuals are under the age of
18. 67% of this population is male, 31% is female, and 2% trans-gender/non-conforming. 48% of women have reported experiencing violence compared to 21% of men. Despite only being approximately 9% of the city’s population, Black people account for nearly 40% of its homeless. The homeless experience is clearly very gendered and racialized.
And with 26% of homeless individuals suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse, we recognize that a holistic approach to their wellness is needed. Our goal is to create innovative solutions and provide creative services that go beyond the basic necessities of shelter and food. We want to emphasize the
humanity of these people, and remind them that they have an abundance of potential. We believe that homelessness is a temporary condition. And when people are provided with quality resources (healthcare, education, housing, etc.) necessary to affirm their well-being and worth, their possibilities are limitless.
Our vision is to transform hopelessness into purpose, desperation into motivation, and feelings of defeat into those of empowerment. We want to cultivate a path of independent and balanced living while providing motivation along the way.
“Teaching people how to live in spite of where they live” is what Project EDUCATE is all about!