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Hundreds of volunteers work together in South Los Angeles
by Robert Brennan –
This October, volunteers from Time Warner Cable, Boys and Girls club of Venice, HBO, Warner Bros. Studios, and members of the South Los Angeles community took part in creating a jumbo-sized mural that was painted on the façade of The Salvation Army Youth and Community Center at 7651 S. Central Avenue.
Designed by artist and muralist Lalo Marquez of Venice, California, the theme of this piece of collaborative art is the promise of a future for neighborhood youth—a brighter future many young people find at The Salvation Army Community Center thanks to its programs. The mural depicts that promise on multiple panels where volunteer artists have painted images of children engaged in the various activities, such as education, prayer, and physical fitness activities that can all be found at the center.
Jeffrey A. Hirsch, president of Time Warner Cable’s Metropolitan Los Angeles Division, was duly impressed when he came out and saw that more than 200 volunteers had come out with their paintbrushes in their hands and a sense of community in their hearts. “The mural will not only showcase the talents and collaborative efforts of numerous volunteers who wanted to lend their support, but it will also be a great display and reminder of the educational resources and activities that are available here at The Salvation Army Community Center,” he stated.
Since 2003, The Salvation Army South Los Angeles Youth and Community Center, in conjunction with the Weingart Foundation, has been a vital hub to local community residents. Supported by a mobile learning and computer lab, students and families receive homework help and tutoring, skills development, emergency assistance for low-income families, and childcare.