More than afterschool. A second home.
Free programs for young people 8 to 24 and their families in the San Fernando Valley. Music, dance, STEAM, college prep, and people who know every name.
Now Enrolling: Seats open for Fall 2026
Our Mission
Hands4Hope LA provides support to youth and their parents from low-income, underserved, predominantly single-parent households to improve their quality of life. We do this through educational enrichment, wellness programming, mentorship, workforce readiness, and family support. Through safe, nurturing, and culturally responsive programs, we help young people build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to thrive.
The Four Pillars
Everything we do stands on four hands.
Develop Talents
Music, dance, and art, taught weekly and proven every June when students take the showcase stage.
Instill Life Skills
Homework done, healthy meals shared, and the everyday habits that carry into adulthood.
Broaden Horizons
The zoo, Dodger Stadium, the Science Center. Experiences kids wouldn’t otherwise get.
Build Self Esteem
Mentors who know every name, small groups, and a stage where every student stands tall.
A few minutes inside
See it for yourself
Spend a few minutes inside the program. Then meet the films our teens write, shoot, and star in themselves, including Daisy, the first of their yearly driver-safety films. This year, for the first time, they made one entirely in Spanish.
See the Showcase
Find your thing
Monday–Thursday until 6:30 pm during the school year. Summer camp when school’s out. Every program free.
Music
Guitar, drums, piano, and a June showcase where students take the stage.
Instruments provided. Just bring the kid.
Dance
Movement, confidence, performance. Wednesdays are for dancing.
STEAM & Tutoring
Coding, art, science, homework help, with healthy snacks on the table.
Local Adventures
The zoo, the fire station, HBCU Night. Experiences kids wouldn’t otherwise get.
Our corner of Los Angeles
Rooted in the Valley.
Some programs are run from a national office. Ours run from Otsego Street. Two homes, two school partnerships, one park we fill every May, and adventures all over Los Angeles.
Every dot is a place where someone knows your kid’s name.
Our impact and our funders
Twenty-five years of work. UCLA helped us count it.
260,000+
meals served
Nobody learns music hungry.
250,000+
homework assignments finished
Done before parents get off shift.
1,280+
kids given a safe space
Some of them are on our Impact page.
Made possible by the partners who fund every free program. Partner with us →
