Las Familias del Pueblo

Las Familias del Pueblo was founded in 1981 by Alice Callaghan, an Episcopalian priest and former Catholic nun committed to serving the unhoused and low-income communities of Los Angeles. Operating out of a one-room, storefront community center on the edge of Skid Row until 2021, the organization offers educational and social services to garment workers and their children, from kindergarten through 12th grade. The community center also provides much-needed services to people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row. Student-support programs operate on the belief that in-need children can thrive at the same academic level as their more affluent peers if provided the same educational opportunities and a strong after-school program. Las Familias del Pueblo extends help beyond the students to also support their family members, including guiding parents through the application process for high-performing elementary, middle, and high schools.

The community center employs a holistic approach in accomplishing its goals, partnering with the Violence Intervention Program Community Mental Health Center and the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center to provide counseling services. Las Familias del Pueblo champions the belief that all people deserve equal access to opportunity.