Los Angeles Room and Board Helps Homeless College Students in L.A.

Hollywood energy gamers are taking discover of the nonprofit group Los Angeles Room & Board, which works to supply housing, meals and help to school college students experiencing homelessness in L.A.

“Los Angeles Room & Board is the mannequin by which we needs to be serving to one another,” singer and The Voice vocal coach Stevie Mackey tells The Hollywood Reporter. “They supply far more than a house. They supply a life with actual, high quality experiences.”

Different supporters of the group embrace writer-producer John Wells (ER, Shameless, Maid) and his spouse, Marilyn; actress Shanola Hampton; NBA all-star Jrue Vacation and his spouse, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Lauren Vacation; Bradley Whitford; Euphoria’s Algee Smith; and singer-songwriter Eric Bellinger. In February, founder and CEO Sam Prater appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Present to advertise the charity.

For Prater, the nonprofit is one among his passions. Born in Detroit, the twelfth of 14 kids, Prater dropped out of highschool earlier than restarting his academic journey on the age of 23 at a local people school. Whereas incomes his doctorate in academic management and coverage at California State College, he labored with the Dean of College students Workplace the place he managed the Fundamental Wants Initiative.

Whereas working there, Prater started to watch the scholars who attended occasions the place meals have been supplied. “I might discover that people would line up, and after we’d deliver meals, they’d deliver Tupperware, and they might ravage the meals,” Prater says.

He additionally turned disturbed by the variety of college students dropping out of college on account of poverty.

“On the finish of the semester, they have been saying, ‘Hey, I’m going to take the semester off [because] cash acquired a bit of tight. I’ll work and are available again,’” Prater remembers. “This occurred time and again. Folks have been dropping out of college, not as a result of they weren’t sensible, not as a result of they couldn’t deal with the rigor of college-level work — it was as a result of they didn’t have housing or meals.”

This drawback is widespread all through the area. In Los Angeles County, one in 10 college students at four-year faculties is experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. At neighborhood faculties, the quantity soars to at least one in 5.

Los Angeles Room & Board, based by Prater in 2020, goals to vary that — one mattress and one home-cooked meal at a time. The primary Room & Board residence opened at an previous sorority home throughout the road from UCLA. In lower than two years, the group went from housing and feeding 15 college students to having 190 beds accessible in 4 homes throughout L.A., primarily for college kids attending neighborhood faculties.

There at the moment are 4 Room & Board transitional homes throughout L.A. “We’ve got tried to create areas the place individuals can really feel dignity and really feel happy with the place they dwell,” says Prater.

Los Angeles Room & Board works with the County of Los Angeles, which refers foster youths and younger adults popping out of the legal justice system. Additionally they companion with each neighborhood faculties and four-year faculties to determine college students experiencing homelessness and meals insecurity.

“Along with offering housing freed from cost to college students, we additionally present three meals a day cooked by our culinary crew. We’ve got full-time cooks who’re offering recent meals. Most of the meals that people eat we develop the produce within the yard,” Prater says. “It’s a complete, wrap-around program [offering] supportive providers, tutoring, educational and profession growth, monetary literacy, and planning and life abilities. We attempt to do every part we are able to to offer them abilities to achieve success, whether or not on campus or of their neighborhood.”

As Prater notes, making an attempt to assist these college students is daunting — 45,000 beds can be wanted to accommodate all at-risk school college students in Los Angeles County — and likewise very costly. In December 2023, Room & Board hosted its first vacation fundraiser, alongside celeb companions Mackey, Smith and singer Josiah Bell. “I believe the entire neighborhood heard us singing that night time,” Mackey says. “And I hope they felt the affect Los Angeles Room & Board is making.”

However there’s extra work to be executed. “When no scholar has to resolve between housing and school,” Prater says, “we are able to grasp it up.”