Oprah's Big Give.

Want to know more about A Place Called Home and The Big Give?
Call us at 1-800-249-1304
Or reach our offices directly at 323-232-7653

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

How did The Big Give come to A Place Called Home?

Well, as surprising as it might seem, we really didn't realize the people coming to help our member family was part of The Big Give. It all started when a friend contacted the Executive Director and asked if she knew of someone "down on their luck" and in need of some help. The Executive Director had just found out that one of the families had become homeless and referred them to the person. The show contestants came into A Place Called Home, met Shante and her family and spent some time with them. The next thing we knew, we were gathering together for a big surprise and part of that surprise was that we were a part of The Big Give.

A Place Called Home is truly grateful that this show and its' contestants took the time to recognize someone in need and help them.

Why was that family chosen to help?

Sometimes people are in the right place at the right time. In this case, A Place Called Home had no idea that the family would be part of The Big Give and as mentioned above, the Executive Director was asked by a friend if she had heard of anyone down on their luck. Since this family had come to the attention of the Executive Director just days before, they were the family that came to her mind. There was no special reason or qualification. The family just happened to be in that situation during the time when the question was asked.

Does A Place Called Home normally help homeless people?

A Place Called Home is an after-school program focused on educational enrichment opportunities for at-risk youth. Our doors are open to youth between the ages of 8 and 20 but we also outsource resources for their parents as well as offer a Parents Supporting Our Children group and Family Counseling Services. We do not specialize in homeless issue but affiliate with organizations that help with transitional housing like Beyond Shelter.

How can I get on The Big Give through A Place Called Home?

A Place Called Home has no affiliation with The Big Give other than their coming to our Center to assist one family. We do not have information on the show producers nor do we have contacts with Ms. Oprah Winfrey or HARPO Productions. This was a "chance" opportunity and we are happy that we were given this chance at helping to fulfill a need. For more information on The Big Give visit www.oprah.com.

What happened to the family that was helped? Do they still come to your Center?

The member family that received assistance from The Big Give moved into a house outside of the South Los Angeles area. The children are happy and both are enrolled in schools, getting good grades and participating in team sports. The young man "David" is still active with our Mentoring program and preparing for graduating High School. His sister, Mykshane, is very active in team sports and spends her free time designing clothing lines on paper. And the mother, Shante, has been working "odds and end" jobs trying to find a permanent career in the teaching field. She's open to all job opportunities and looks forward to finding a permanent position soon.

For more information on Shante and other inner city stories, check out "Too Spicy for Chicken Soup… Stories from the Hood" released April, 2008.