AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR:
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Working together we achieve our best!

Ellen Zaman, FACHE
Children's Hospital Los Angeles

---

At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), we recognize the importance of collaboration - with our patients and families, neighborhood residents, civic and government officials, local business owners, educators and researchers, advocates and policy makers – together spurring growth, building community, and stimulating innovation.
CHLA is the oldest freestanding nonprofit children’s hospital in California. We are a 357-bed facility with 106 pediatric critical care beds, more than any other hospital in the western U.S. We provide pediatric health care to more than 111,000 children each year with 15,682 inpatient admissions, 348,440 outpatient visits, and 77,673 Emergency Department visits and performed 16,262 pediatric surgeries in the most recent year reported.

 

We continue today with a vibrant urban campus in the East Hollywood neighborhood. Our hospital is home to more than 5,500 employees, and 800 medical staff and experts who have developed more than 350 pediatric specialty programs and services; and is a major research and teaching hospital where scientific inquiry is combined with clinical care devoted exclusively to children and adolescents.

In addition to the excellent clinical care provided within our hospital, we work closely with our community to advance initiatives and develop programs to address the health and social needs of children, adolescents, and families beyond the walls of our hospital.
Every three years, we conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment to understand our community’s profile including demographics, disparities in health, risk of communicable disease and chronic conditions, as well as the social determinants of health affecting children and adolescents and their families.

We have worked with various community and civic leaders and residents to assess data, discuss issues, explore opportunities, and formulate strategies to address health related neighborhood issues.

I am proud of our long-standing connection with our community. Together, by way of innovative programming and partnership, we’ve increased access to skills training opportunities for young people in our community, have implemented wellness initiatives, and have assisted many residents in obtaining access to health coverage.

Together, all of us can create a healthier Hollywood. I am so excited about the endless possibilities that Hollywood Central Park will bring to our neighborhoods. The Friends of HCP has shown that when we all come together around common goals, everyone benefits. We can all play a role in improving the quality of our environment for all who reside in our Hollywood community.

What We've Been Up To

By Laurie Goldman, President

Goodbye Alfredo/Hello Charlotte

It was with great deal of emotion that FHCP said goodbye to its first employee, Alfredo Hernandez. Alfredo, a founding FHCP board member, brought enthusiasm, passion and both a love of parks and community to this organization. His contributions were many and important to our progress. We wish him great success in his new career and hope he stays connected to FHCP.

Last November, FHCP was delighted to welcome Charlotte Acevedo to the team. Charlotte, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, brings extraordinary design talents and creative writing skills to our organization. A native Angeleno, Charlotte is an avid photographer and women’s rights/social justice advocate. Charlotte may be reached at charlotte.acevedo@hfcp.org.

ELDP (Environmental Leadership Development Project)

On August 10, 2016, Board members Scott Campbell, Brian Folb and Edward Hunt joined FHCP President Laurie Goldman to testify before the State Senate’s Environmental Quality Committee on behalf of Senate Bill 734. The legislation extended AB 900 (ELDP) which streamlines litigation/judicial review process for projects that are deemed critical to the well-being of the State.

Among other requirements, an ELDP must meet the following criteria to qualify:

• Generate $100,000,000 of investment in California.
• Create high wage, highly-skilled jobs that meet prevailing wage and living wage requirements.
• Qualify for LEED silver certification or better.
• Achieve ten percent (10%) or greater transportation efficiency than comparable projects.
• Result in no net additional Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
• Be located in an urban infill site.

  ELDP applications are approved by the Governor of California. FHCP meets and, in most cases, exceeds the requirements and will apply to become an ELDP.

  Hollywood Central Park: New Renderings

  Thanks to the skills and talents of Board member Doug Campbell and his team, FHCP is pleased to present several new renderings of the Hollywood Central Park:

  

  

  

  

  

  Hollywood Christmas Parade

  FHCP returned for its 5th consecutive year by leading off this celebrated tradition. Our heartfelt thanks to Board member John Goodwin for making this possible….again!

  

  2017 Washington DC Advocacy Trip, June 11-15

  Planning is underway for FHCP’s annual advocacy trip to our nation’s Capital. In addition to meeting with Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Adam Schiff, meetings are planned with elected officials from both parties in both houses. FHCP will continue the progress it has made by meeting with DOT, HUD and EPA; we hold out hope for a meeting with White House staff.
  Community members interested in participating should contact Laurie, laurie.goldman@hfcp.org

  

Getting To Know You: Todd Warner

A series of interviews with the FHCP Board of Directors

The Tailwaggers store, which first opened its doors back in 2003 in Hollywood, has become a cornerstone of the Los Angeles doggy community, with a second store in West Hollywood. Spearheaded by its CEO Todd Warner, pictured here with his dogs Buddy and Henry, the stores do a top job of providing the community with healthy, natural pet care products that are consistent with a holistic approach to pet health.

The Tailwaggers name itself has a fine pedigree, dating back to the Tail-waggers club created in 1915 in England. Bette Davis put the organization on the map in the US when she was elected as President of Southern California’s branch. Her dedication to animal welfare was a powerful force in raising awareness in Hollywood. Todd Warner is building on that legacy by carrying the baton with The Tailwaggers Foundation which serves as a financial resource for non-profit animal rescue groups who are struggling to cover the cost of medical care for sick and injured animals. Recognizing that healthy dogs and cats stand the best chance for finding a loving home, his donations directly facilitate the adoption process and improve animal welfare in general.

His heartfelt devotion to his four legged friends is demonstrated through the Waggy Awards on March 19, bringing together the great and the good of the animal welfare community. The confluence of Hollywood, community spirit and animal welfare harks (or should that be barks?) back to those early days when Bette was fighting on behalf of humanity's most devoted companion. tailwaggerspets.com and thetailwaggersfoundation.org

President Laurie Goldman sat down with FHCP Board Member Todd Warner on all things Hollywood:

LG: Todd, as a long-time owner of Tailwaggers in Franklin Village, a member of the FHCP Board and so many other organizations including your own nonprofit, Tailwaggers Foundation -- what drives you to be so involved in your community? Could you tell us something about the Tailwaggers Foundation?

TW: To create the world I want to live in, it has to start with me. I believe we all have an amazing gift to make this world a better place, working together creating a community we can achieve so much more. I feel better about myself, trying to be a part of the solution rather than the problem. This is why being on the board of the Hollywood Central park is so rewarding to me. This is also why I created the Tailwaggers Foundation. Working with animal rescue organizations for over 15 years and watching so many dogs and cats being left behind due to medical or behavior issues. One way I could help was to use my resources from my stores and the community that I have built to help fund some of the cost to resolve this issue, so we might be able to find a forever loving home for these cats and dogs. I ask for all who love and care for animals to join me at the 2017 Waggy Awards, March 19th at the Taglyan Cultural Center $100 per ticket with proceeds to benefit The Tailwaggers Foundation. *for more information visit http://thetailwaggersfoundation.org/

LG: As an FHCP Board Member, please share with our readers how and why you chose to get involved with the Hollywood Central Park? How does the Park interact and connect with Franklin Village and the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council community?

TW: First of all, I want to be on the right side of history! I love being a part of something that is so much bigger than myself. The Hollywood Central Park is going to transform this city. It is about being a part of the history of Los Angeles and our shared future. I believe the park is going to strengthen Franklin Village and the Hollywood United Neighborhood Council community by creating more of a community. I see the park as a place where we come to meet our neighbors, enjoy playgrounds for kids, possible farmer’s markets, art in the park, music in the park and of course dog parks.

LG: Todd, throughout your many many years as both a resident and small business owner, what changes have you seen in Hollywood that are worth celebrating? What changes have yet to be realized?

TW: I have seen Hollywood grow into a place where I can be proud to bring visitors from all over the world, we now have great restaurants, shops, hotels, theaters, public transportation and walkable sidewalks. When I started my business 15 years ago I believe my entire staff drove to work each day, now most of the staff either rides the metro, bicycles or walks to work. Better for the environment, better for their health and better for the community. What changes have yet to be realized? I would say homelessness has to be at the top of the list, affordable housing and keeping the community diverse.

LG: What are the essential ingredients in making Hollywood a livable and sustainable community?

TW: Green Space for all to enjoy, safety, community. We are so fortunate to have the best weather in the world, I would love for Hollywood to be a city where more people were out walking, riding their bikes, experiencing the newest local restaurants and stores.

LG: As a community of residents and businesses, what can we do to create a common vision for the future of Hollywood?

TW: I would love to see Hollywood as a place where anyone from anywhere could come knowing they would be embraced regardless of race, gender, religion and sexual orientation. People who may have been marginalized or oppressed can find comfort here. As a community we all benefit from the strength of diversity. Hollywood has an amazing unique history, for years people have been coming to Hollywood to fulfill their dreams. I think it is important to keep Hollywood as a space for great creativity. This is one of the reasons I’m so proud to be on the board of the Friends of the Hollywood Central Park. This park is an amazing vision for Hollywood being built by a community of people who are looking towards the future to make another Hollywood dream come true.

 

IOBY (In Our Back Yard)

By Scott Ford

In 2010, I went to the For the Love of Hollywood Gala benefitting the Hollywood Central Park and I came home with a tiny Heteromeles arbutifolia, better known as the California Holly, in a charming, wee-sized, mini tin watering can. So, I planted it.

This strong and durable plant, allegedly (but not without controversy) from which Hollywood derives it’s name, is in many ways a perfect symbol for this entertainment town of ours that has endured the decades, and not without a few scratches. But this holly that was given out as a gift to attendees perfectly symbolized what was then a new and somewhat wacky idea for most of us … to “cap” the freeway and build a giant green park on top of it.

I have lived in Hollywood for 25 years. I’m constantly amazed at how this high-profile, tourist-saturated part of LA can still feel like a cozy neighborhood. OK, maybe not Mayberry. But we definitely have a strong community here. It’s diverse and often quite colorful. You would know this by just walking around, which I happen to do a lot in the very spot where the park will be built. I live above Franklin, but I have a community garden plot by the 101 freeway at Fountain Ave. My nice long walk to the garden goes right through our location and I often find myself daydreaming about what it will be like and what goes where, that is if I was in charge and I’m not. Every single time, I forget how HUGE it will be.

What I have learned by becoming involved in this park is how truly divided our community is by the freeway. There are not many thriving businesses around the edges of the highway, hardly any foot traffic. Really no notable relationship between the people and businesses on the opposing sides. But the Hollywood Central Park will fix this. It will literally build a bridge between these two isolated sides. That will get people moving around, and most importantly, moving around OUTSIDE with trees and grass and all those other wonderful things in life. I personally would like to see dozens of community gardens like mine all through the surrounding neighborhoods. Can you imagine? Living in Hollywood but walking through a huge park and growing your own food? It’s life in the 21st Century. Here’s the best part: So many friendships were started at my garden, and so will be the case with the Park. People meeting people they would never really get a chance to otherwise. Like my elderly friend Emma who doesn’t speak a word of English (and with me no Spanish) but somehow we manage to have a conversation, I think. (She doesn’t get my sarcasm however.) You see, this project represents green space, sure, and that’s great! But it also is about coming together, as a community, as neighbors. Meeting new friends, creating new memories, especially for the kids. If there is anytime in America’s history that we need more of this, I think we all can agree it’s now.

So what became of our dear, sweet Holly? She’s over 10 feet tall!! Through all the heat and drought and whatever else Southern California threw at her, or my lack of a green thumb, she kept growing and growing. Each year her trunk got stronger and stronger and now she is in her spot for good. But why? I wondered for a minute and it came to me. Because she’s a local!! She’s a holly and she belongs in Hollywood!

Just as our park does.

Scott Ford
Creative Director, CEO
Twerp

Scott Ford is an art director and entrepreneur and founder of Twerp, a small design firm with a soft spot for exciting nonprofit organizations like the Hollywood Central Park and Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena. In the early 1990s, Scott was art director of the LA Weekly during some of it’s most notable editions: LA Riots, Northridge Earthquake, Rodney King Trial, OJ Simpson Trials, Bill Clinton’s elections and the Gulf War. He went on to help pioneer the Internet at legendary developer Digital Planet and other startups ranging from entertainment to mobile software. He is also on the Board of Directors for a local nonprofit called A Million Drops which focuses on helping homeless and at-risk youth and young adults in Hollywood. His DJ name is “President Ford” and likes that people think that’s weird.

For the Love of Hollywood Gala 2017

Thank you everyone who celebrated and supported the Friends of the Hollywood Central Park at For the Love of Hollywood Gala on January 12th, 2017. For those who missed it or for those of you who can’t get enough it, here is a recap on our magical evening.

2017 For the Love of Hollywood Gala, Taglyan Center

It was a delightfully refreshing evening. The rain for one, kept things crisp to the last hour before Gala started, but once the guests started rolling in the stress of getting everything just right turned into pure passion. To see everyone in one place committed to the same goal, Building Our Park, is what makes us do this every year. There were so many old friends and lots of new ones to share our beloved park with at our ritual venue. The Taglyan Cultural Complex is where we congregate to visualize our dreams of the park. This venue has been our unofficial park for the 6th year now, and this year we were standing room only!

Top: City Controller Ron Galperin and host Councilmember Tom LaBonge (ret.) with a model of the Hollywood Central Park
Left: Hollywood Central Park’s Champion, Council Member Mitch O’Farrell, 13th Council District
Right: Guests posing in front of new Hollywood Central Park renderings

Our evening’s program opened with a performance by children from the Gabriella Charter School. The Gabriella Charter school is a high-performing K−8 dance-themed public charter elementary school for inner city students. Besides being a joy and inspiration, these children are so talented and grateful, and they are exactly who the park is for! Building Hollywood Central Park builds a better future for our children, these children, and our planet. They deserve something that is sustainable, effective and accessible. Something even bigger than Gala.

Gabriella Charter School Students

CHECK OUT GALA VIDEOS ON THE PARK WEBSITE
CHECK OUT GALA PICTURES ON THE PARK WEBSITE

Heartfelt thanks to Gala Co-Chairs Tricia LaBelle and Leslie Lambert for making Gala 2017 a HUGE success. Thank you to our host Councilmember Tom LaBonge! He led the sales of the Park mini-models, raffle and our first ever live appeal auction! What a champ! We must also thank our Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell for being our adoring champion and guardian of District 13. We’d also like to thank our honorees one more time. This is the whole power group of honorees in one shot (left to right)

• Christy McAvoy, Founder of the Historic Resources Group
• Paramount Picture’s Sharon Keyser
• Dr. Yolanda Brown of Blessed Sacrament

What an inspiring group. These leaders in the community were obvious choices to honor as our Real Stars of Hollywood. They confront Los Angeles at different angles and challenge awareness in urban lifestyles through history, education, and storytelling. Learn more about each honoree in their short-documentary/bios.
(videos link)

Here are some bullet points of what Chairman Alfredo Fraijo Jr. and President Laurie Goldman spoke about at Gala:

• FHCP is taking action!
• Our Annual Advocacy trip to Washington DC is happening June 11th - 15th, we auctioned one an all-expense paid trip to join the FHCP Delegation and ended up selling two! Thank you Richard and Pat for wanting to have a seat at the table!
• EIFD - CRA lite which will help us buy land and build affordable housing along the edges of the Park!
• ELDP - SB734 and FHCP’s role in getting legislation passed
• FHCP’s great relationship with Caltrans! We intend to work with the new administration on resilient infrastructure and new opportunities!
• We are making steady progress; big transformative projects take vision, imagination, leadership, and time! Tell your elected officials that YOU want the Hollywood Central Park built!
• Remarks from Assemblymember Richard Bloom, City Controller Ron Galperin and Councilmember David Ryu
• Surprise honorary award to contractors Richard Heyman and Grant King, long-time supporters of HCP.

These are some other highlight moments

Ron Galperin speaking from his seat about his affection for HCP | Richard Heyman and Grant King’s table of guests

Glowing table of guests | President Laurie Goldman and Host/Councilmember Tom LaBonge

We are so honored and warmed by our beautiful evening. We hope you were, and still are, too! There are many next steps to take for Hollywood Central Park. Our Winter Newsletter is a great resource detailing our accomplishments and foreseeable goals (all things to celebrate at next year’s Gala, and we can’t wait!)

Support Your Hollywood Central Park

Hollywood Promise Zone News

Mayor Garcetti Joins Youth Policy Institute (YPI) to Celebrate Second Promise Neighborhood for Los Angeles

Los Angeles elected officials, community leaders, parents and students gathered in the courtyard of Berendo Middle School/Monseñor Oscar Romero Charter Middle School at the start of the year to announce the award of a $30 million Los Angeles Promise Neighborhood (LAPN) grant to Youth Policy Institute (YPI). This U.S. Department of Education grant spans five years starting January 2017.

“This Promise Neighborhood is more than an award—it’s a challenge that Los Angeles is proud to accept,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "From South LA to Pico-Union to Hollywood to Pacoima, place-based initiatives like the Promise Zones and the Promise Neighborhoods are expanding what we can achieve when federal, state and local governments join forces with schools, community-based organizations, philanthropists, and businesses to tell every family and every child that a zip code is not a destiny.”

Under the auspices of the new Los Angeles Promise Neighborhood, YPI will coordinate a range of services spanning early learning through 12th grade and into post-secondary education.

Federal Tax Credit proposal would benefit Promise Zone Businesses

The federal Promise Zone program supports leaders from government agencies, nonprofits, and community organizations in their efforts to improve the neighborhoods and lives of people living within designated areas. The LA Promise Zone’s geographical boundaries include five ethnically and linguistically diverse neighborhoods based in Central Los Angeles – Hollywood, East Hollywood, Pico-Union, Westlake, and Wilshire Center. The LA Promise Zone is one of 22 designated Promise Zones across the nation.

Another attempt is being made to secure a key benefit for Promise Zones: tax incentives to promote job creation. U.S. Senator Bob Casey recently introduced Senate Bill 114 The Promise Zone Job Creation Act of 2017, which proposes tax incentives to encourage hiring and investment by private businesses in the nation's Promise Zones over the next ten years. Two forms of tax credits are proposed. The employment tax credit would apply to the first $15,000 of qualifying Promise Zone employee wages with a credit rate of 15-20%. In addition, qualified property placed in service within the Zone would be eligible for additional first-year depreciation of 100% of the adjusted basis of the property.

This is the second time that these tax incentives have been introduced in the Senate; however, this time the bill has strong bipartisan support. It also aligns with the new administration’s emphasis on job creation. Stay tuned! The bill’s progress will be tracked closely in the months to come.

Here is a link to a video about Promise Neighborhood created and posted by the LA Times: WATCH VIDEO