Latin American Youth Center’s (LAYC) nomination

to RPCV/W’s “Partnership for Peace” Competition

Organization Name: Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)

Federal ID #: 52-1023074 LAYC is a registered 501(c ) 3 organization

Organization Website: http://www.layc-dc.org

Primary Contact name, address, e-mail and telephone number:

Amy Kunz, Senior Grants Manager

1419 Columbia Rd NW Washington, DC 20009

email: amy@layc-dc.org telephone: 202.319.2256 or 202.270.4886

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Summary of organization’s mission/purpose (max 500 words):

Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) operates a network of youth centers, public
charter schools, and social enterprises with a mission to “support youth and families in
their determination to live, work, and study with dignity, hope, and joy.” LAYC achieves
its mission by adhering to a youth development model, which offers low-income and
minority youth a continuum of services, programs, and opportunities with the goal of
ensuring a successful transition to young adulthood. Youth facing the most significant
life challenges work with promotores (“guides” in Spanish) who form a long-term
relationship to guide the young person through all necessary programs and services in
order to complete an Individual Success Plan. Support from the World Bank has
enabled LAYC to contract with nationally known evaluators to conduct a multi-year
evaluation of the promotores, which will be shared nationally with our stake-holders
and will be the first in the youth development field to document and analyze outcomes
of this innovative relationship-building client management model.

LAYC’s services are clustered in five areas:

• Educational Enhancement provides academic enrichment, college
preparation, and mentored recreation with the help of its vibrant AmeriCorps
program;
• Social Services provides prevention education, outreach, treatment, housing,
and case management;
• Workforce Investment and Social Enterprises (WISE) provides work
and life skills training, GED preparation, and leadership development;
• Art + Media encourages youth to discover the power of their art as a means of
self-expression and as a tool for exploring community issues; and;
• Advocacy/Public Policy educates and involves youth in relevant public
policies and civic activities. In cases where LAYC does not offer a needed service,
long-standing collaborations with other community-based organizations, public
(including government) agencies, clinics, and a range of private service providers
allow us to meet each youth’s needs without duplication.

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 Latin American Youth Center’s (LAYC) nomination
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LAYC serves the Washington D.C. region: all eight DC wards as well as Prince George’s
and Montgomery counties in Maryland. Our anchor site is in Washington DC’s Ward 1
Columbia Heights as are four residential houses serving homeless youth including some
who are also single parents; an Art + Media House with classrooms, a dark room, and
exhibition space for youth artwork. Also in Ward 1 are LAYC’s two public charter
schools, which grew out of LAYC programming: The YouthBuild Public Charter School
serves youth ages 16-24 who have dropped out of traditional high schools by giving them
opportunities to learn construction skills while working toward a high school diploma or
GED and the Next Step Public Charter School serves immigrants or young people who
were born or grew up in the United States, but have found it difficult to achieve success
in traditional public schools. There are also three Maryland sites in Silver Spring,
Langley Park, and Riverdale. Of the 4,214 individuals served in FY09, 59% were Latino
and 32% African American and lived in all eight wards of the District of Columbia, in
Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties and in Prince William, Arlington,
and Fairfax counties, Virginia.

Summary of organization’s past involvement with RPCV/W if applicable

(max 250 words):

LAYC has had the good fortune of employing dozens of RPCVs, many of whom are active
members in RPCV/W, over its 35-year history. Currently, 12 RPCVs are on staff at all
levels of the organization: AmeriCorps Program Coordinator, Mental Health/Substance
Abuse Counselor, Transitions Coordinator at the Next Step Public Charter School,
Maryland Site Director, and Senior Grants Manager to list a few.

LAYC has invited RPCV/W to host various programs at its anchor site in the Columbia
Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. such as a panel discussion on socially
responsible investing and a writing workshop that focused on crafting auto-biographical
essays and short stories based on Peace Corps experiences.

LAYC staff members regularly participate in Peace Corps Week each March. Thanks to
thriving in-school and after-school programs, LAYC has worked very closely with
District of Columbia Public Schools and public charter schools for decades, which
facilitates the coordination of sending RPCV speakers into elementary, middle, and high
schools in the area to talk about their cross-cultural experiences.

In what capacity can RPCV/W best assist your organization? (max 500
words):

With its access to thousands of community-minded members, RPCV/W would make the
ideal vehicle for getting the word out about the life-changing work LAYC does with low-
income, minority youth and families in the Washington, D.C. area. RPCV/W could help
LAYC both in the short-term and the long-term.

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 Latin American Youth Center’s (LAYC) nomination
to RPCV/W’s “Partnership for Peace” Competition

In the short-term, for example, RPCV/W could choose one of more of the following ways
to help LAYC:

1) Form a fundraising team and walk in support of LAYC in the November 21, 2009,
Fannie Mae Walk for the Homeless simply by clicking on Register Now at this
link: http://www.helpthehomelessdc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=09_home
and selecting LAYC as its Beneficiary Organization in the pull-down menu;
2) Donate funds from upcoming happy hours or social events to give to LAYC’s
general operating fund or to programs such our Teen Drop-In Center, which
serves as an entry-point into LAYC, or our residential houses, which are facing
substantial city and federal budget cuts.
3) Volunteer at our large community gatherings such as our homemade
Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday November 24th from 4 to 7 p.m., at which 300-
500 low-income families receive a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and/or our
Community Holiday Party on December 18, 2009 from 4 to 7 p.m.

For a longer-term commitment, RPCV/W members could consider being a mentor for a
young person or even a foster parent. An on-going need is for tutors for our young
people who are struggling in school. Many times the youth we serve are second
language learners so bi-lingual tutors (especially in reading and math) are especially
welcomed. A complete list of volunteer opportunities can always be found on our
website under the Get Involved tab: http://www.layc-dc.org/index.php/get-
involved/volunteer.html

Is the applicant currently a member of RPCV/w or the greater Peace Corps

community?

Yes, Amy Kunz, Senior Grants Manager at LAYC, has been a member of RPCV/W for the
last 10 years. She served on the RPCV/W Board of Directors as the Speakers Chair from
2005-06 and as the Director of Community Service from 2006-08.