My Nonprofit Reviews

I came to Create Now as an Americorps VISTA last summer. It was my responsibility to manage volunteers for the organization. While choosing my future host site, I remember Create Now standing out to me. Among all of the other non-profits there was to choose from, Create Now was the one, I felt most inspired by and compelled to work for.

I think what really stood out to me most about Create Now was the heart and intention behind their great work. In a city like Los Angeles, there is a great need for supplemental education programs for disadvantaged youth, and this is especially true of art education.

Create Now partners with youth serving community agencies to provide customized art classes for young people facing challenges such as being homeless, having survived abuse, being in foster group homes, having involvement in the criminal justice system or otherwise living in poverty. Their programs are deeply impactful and provide students with healthy emotional outlets which can lead to healing, forgiveness, educational improvements, and in some cases even career opportunities.

After having spent one year there, I can say with conviction that Create Now and the work of their dedicated staff (Jill Gurr and Laura Kelly) makes Los Angeles a better place to live, and makes the world at large a brighter place. Their presence in the community is imperative and incredibly meaningful. The future of our youth depends heavily on well organized, reliable, thoughtful programming in the arts and I was honored to have been a part of their work in the small way I could have been.