Community Services & Engagement

Building Stronger Communities Through Connection and Care

The Community Services & Engagement Division fosters belonging, safety, and resilience across Inglewood and the greater Los Angeles region. From child welfare initiatives to the Relief Store’s emergency support services and beloved cultural events like Light the Night, our work addresses urgent needs while building long-term family stability. By blending celebration with service, we create spaces where families feel supported, connected, and empowered to move forward.

At the center of this work is our Community Cultural Broker Program — a culturally responsive, relationship-based model designed to support children and families navigating the child welfare system. Our cultural brokers serve as trusted guides, bridging gaps between institutions and the community while addressing systemic inequities that contribute to disproportionality in foster care. Through consistent home visitation, Child and Family Team meeting participation, advocacy, and hands-on system navigation — including application assistance, agency coordination, and ongoing follow-through — we help families access critical services, strengthen protective factors, and build sustainable stability.

Our integrated services support families from crisis stabilization to economic mobility:

  • Community Cultural Broker services providing advocacy, coordination, home visitation, and trusted system navigation

  • Crisis and disaster case management, including coordination of over $1,000,000 in support for families impacted by the Altadena Fires

  • Free parenting education and Fatherhood Initiative programming promoting healthy family dynamics and engaged caregiving

  • Small business case management to stabilize income and strengthen household economic capacity

  • Supervised visitation and family bonding services supporting safe reunification and healthy connection

  • Kinship Caregiver Support Groups – Foster Care Track supporting relatives caring for children in the foster system

  • Kinship Caregiver Support Groups – Family Stability Track assisting established families seeking additional guidance and peer support

  • Teen Club programming providing mentorship, enrichment, and safe community engagement

Together, these initiatives reflect a coordinated, whole-family approach — meeting immediate needs while creating measurable pathways toward stability, opportunity, and generational well-being.

Our Services

GAF+EAF

Center of Hope CDC, in collaboration with United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Southern California Edison, and SoCalGas®, offers utility bill assistance to Southland households in need.

3FN

Faith Foster Families Network (3FN) is a faith-based collaborative working to improve outcomes for children and families impacted by the child welfare system in Los Angeles. Through direct services, advocacy, and community support, 3FN connects families with the resources they need to thrive.

Relief store

The Relief Store is a year-round program offering immediate aid and long-term support to individuals facing crises or financial hardship.

Legal Clinic

The Center of Hope CDC partners with legal professionals and community advocates to provide accessible, no-cost civil legal services for individuals and families navigating housing, employment, immigration, and related matters. Through initiatives such as our expungement clinic, we remove legal barriers and expand pathways to stability and opportunity.

Garden Project

The CDC Garden Project is a community-led initiative that uses urban gardening to educate, engage, and empower residents. Through hands-on workshops, mentorship, and events featuring local growers, the project promotes fresh food access, combats food insecurity, and cultivates community connection.

resource fair

Dedicated to empowering communities through access, equity, and opportunity, the Center of Hope CDC connects individuals and families with vital resources—from emergency support and education to economic development and wellness programs.