The Neighborhood Project: Loving as a Form of Community Engagement
Welcome to the freshmen Service and Justice program at Loyola High School. As a freshman, you will be required to: 1) Participate in the service component of the Freshmen Retreat 2) Participate in the annual Freshmen Community Walk; and 3) Research one of the organizations listed in the Freshmen Year Neighborhood Project.
The Center for Service and Justice department is here to help you and your family navigate through our requirements to fulfill your freshman expectations. Please continue to visit the Community Service 9 Canvas page often and, when applicable, open messages sent from our office.
Part I: Freshman Retreat
The Freshmen Retreat is an opportunity for students to look inward. Freshmen will partake in the creation of care kits (hygiene kits for the unhoused communities) and participate in a curated presentation on homelessness facilitated by members from various partnering agencies. The Freshmen Retreat is the first step, which forms a valuable foundation for the Freshman Community Walk.
Part II: The Freshman Community Walk
In collaboration with Cub Year One, all freshmen will participate in an annual Pico-Union Community Walk, during the spring semester, in which they will get to know our surrounding area. By posing the simple question, “Who is my neighbor?”, we invite the students to explore their own identity as members of the community. The purpose of the Community Walk —a pilgrims walk—is to begin our exploration outwards towards knowing the people of the community, local businesses, understanding where we reside and embracing the relationship to the greater community.
Setting Up an MobileServe Account
All programs and projects related to your Service and Justice experience at Loyola High School must be recorded and submitted on MobileServe. Instructions regarding account registration will be posted in the Community Service 9 Canvas page. This platform will be used throughout the four years at Loyola.
Non-Profit Organizations within Pico-Union
Below are a few non-profit organizations that work within the Pico-Union Neighborhood.
- Korean Youth Community Center: https://www.kyccla.org.
- Hearts of Los Angeles- HOLA: https://www.heartofla.org/
- Children’s Bureau: https://www.all4kids.org/
- Good Shepherd Shelter: http://www.goodshepherdshelter.org/
- Catholic Worker: http://www.lacatholicworker.org/
- Thomas the Apostle Catholic Grade School: http://www.saintthomasla.org/
- World Harvest: https://www.worldharvestla.org/
- Francis Center (just outside of the Pico Union area): https://www.stfranciscenterla.org/
- Seeds of Hope – Cultivating Wellness (partnered with Pico Union Project): https://www.picounionproject.org/seeds-of-hope-partnership/
- Help Catholic Charities provide emergency relief: https://catholiccharitiesny.org/news/help-catholic-charities-provide-emergency-relief-during-covid-19-pandemic
