ABOUT US
Who We Are
Project EDUCATE (also referred to as PJE), founded in 2018 by CEO LaTanya Sherman, is a Los Angeles based 501(c)(3) non-profit that seeks to exemplify the much-needed change in response to Los Angeles’s homeless tragedy. Project EDUCATE envisions communities in which all of its residents have access to humane and dignified housing conditions and basic necessities for their sustainment.
Project EDUCATE embodies this vision and its mission statement through its 5 flagship programs (FED, TAG, BLOOM, HOPE, and SWAP) and other initiatives which all work toward a common goal of “Teaching People How to Live in Spite of Where They Live.” Since its inception, Project Educate has been recognized by local magazines and radio stations including Shout Out LA, Voyage, Playa Vista Magazine, Rebel, 102.3 KJLH, and 93.5 KDAY. The organization was also awarded the EFDI Humanitarian Award in 2023. The founder, LaTanya Sherman, was homeless in early 2000 and brings personal experiences, a passion for change, and an educational background in social and behavioral science into her humanitarian work. The 7-member volunteer board of directors includes professionals in the fields of law, national security, education, finance, healthcare, and business—drawing on diverse expertise and experience in support of Project EDUCATE’s mission.
The Reality: Homelessness in Los Angeles
A 2024 census conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) reported over 75,000 unhoused individuals in LA County, with the largest population found in the city of Los Angeles at over 45,000 individuals. These numbers only reflect those who could be accounted for. To put this into perspective: the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California has a
seating capacity of 70,240 people—making the scale of this crisis undeniable.
Here are some additional statistics:
- 24% suffer from mental health illness
- 27% experience substance abuse issues
- 31% are Black, while the county’s Black
population is less than 8%
- 65% are men, with an estimated 3,000
displaced veterans
- 33% are women
- Over 6,000 are under 18 years old
- 54% of newly homeless individuals in
2024 reported economic hardship as
the cause—especially unaffordable rent
Our Vision
These are more than just numbers and percentages. These are people. Our neighbors. Families. Mothers. Fathers. Children. Each homeless individual represents an abundance of lost potential for the betterment of our communities and nation’s future.
This is why the work that Project EDUCATE does is more important than ever. Our vision is to transform hopelessness into purpose, desperation into motivation, and feelings of
defeat into empowerment. We want to cultivate a path of independent and balanced living while providing motivation along the way. Since 2018, Project EDUCATE has had the privilege of servicing thousands of individuals and intends to provide support to thousands more through our ever-expanding programs and community support. We are committed to our mission of being the change we want to see.
Why Your Support Matters
Los Angeles is one of the nation’s trendsetting cities, historically laying out the blueprint for cultural change across the United States. Project EDUCATE actualizing its vision would have a massive impact not just locally—but nationally and globally—on how homelessness is addressed.
This is why your support matters. (E)mpowering (D)isadvantaged and (U)nderserved (C)ommunities (A)ll (T)hrough (E)ducation (EDUCATE) is what PJE is all about!
➤ To find out more about what we do, please visit our “WHAT WE DO” page.
➤ To learn how you can support, visit our “SUPPORT US” page.