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Mission Report: The L.A. Trust pivoted during pandemic
Our lockdown year (clockwise from top left): The L.A. Trust attended an on-campus healthcare rally; distributed PPE at St. John’s; taught little ones to brush on KLCS; handed out 100,000 toothbrushes during Operation Tooth Fairy; engaged students on Zoom; and helped promote the online CSHA Conference with State Superintendent Tony Thurmond.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has released its 2021 Mission Report documenting an extraordinary year for the nonprofit agency and its stakeholders.
“Last year was challenging, especially for our underserved communities,” Maryjane Puffer, executive director of The L.A. Trust, told stakeholders. “But it was not a lost year.”
“Like our students, teachers, school staff and healthcare providers, we found new strength, learned new skills and made new connections online,” Puffer said. “Like them, we found new ways of accomplishing our mission.”
The 16-page Mission Report details how the L.A. Trust pivoted during the quarantine. It transferred in-person meetings to online platforms like Zoom; expanded education campaigns on social media and television; and distributed more than 100,000 oral healthcare items and PPE at Wellness Centers and schools.
The L.A. Trust launched a new Student Mental Health Initiative and educated legislators about the need for school-based healthcare. It also convened experts and stakeholders at online forums and engaged student health advocates at virtual events. The L.A. Trust also launched a new website and rallying cry, “Putting the care in student healthcare.”
Students the unsung heroes
“Our partners stepped up to support us as we pivoted,” the report notes. “Los Angeles Unified School District emerged as a national leader in handling the crisis, and healthcare providers saved lives, while risking their own.”
An introductory message from Puffer and Board Chair Will Grice said, “The unsung heroes of the pandemic were our young people, who managed online education, nursed sick loved ones and shouldered increased family responsibilities.”
The Mission Report documents The L.A. Trust’s activities in nine key areas: Advocacy, healthy living/nutrition, mental health, oral health, research, sexual and reproductive health, student engagement, substance use prevention and support for L.A. Unified’s 17 Wellness Centers.
The report also lists key funders of The L.A. Trust, board members, Wellness Centers and Student Advisory Boards. It includes a financial report for the 12 months ended June 30, 2020 showing how the organization withstood the economic downturn by lowering overhead and raising funds through new grants and individual donations.
“I especially want to thank our executive committee and board for guiding us through this tumultuous year,” Puffer said. “Their expertise, counsel and personal fundraising activities were indispensable.”
Mission Report from The L.A. Trust shows a year of progress
The L.A. Trust’s Mission Report sounds a hopeful note during a time of crisis.
The Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health has released its first-ever Mission Report capturing a year of accomplishments and looking forward to “healthier days ahead.”
Executive Director Maryjane Puffer and Board President William Grice of Kaiser Permanente, observed that “the COVID-19 health crisis and economic downturn have been a dramatic reminder of how much depends on our education and healthcare systems.”
More than four in five Los Angeles Unified students live in poverty, the report notes, and there are wide disparities in healthcare access. “The COVID-19 crisis is severely worsening these dual hardships and students need our help more than ever.”
The report outlines how The L.A. Trust, working with its funders and allies, is bridging the worlds of health and education to achieve student wellness.
In last fiscal year 2018-2019, The L.A. Trust:
Launched The L.A. Trust Data xChange, which links confidential health and academic data to determine how student health affects student performance.
Partnered with the University of California San Francisco to launch a bilingual contraception awareness app for Latina teens.
Supported the growing network of Student and Family Wellness Centers on LAUSD campuses, with best practices, research and Learning Collaborative convenings.
Facilitated screenings for more than 1,700 kindergartners and third-graders at dozens of LAUSD elementary schools and provided oral health education throughout the district.
Worked with Student Advisory Board members and their Adult Allies at Wellness Center schools on issues like STD prevention, HPV vaccination and substance use.
Advocated for fresh foods and good nutrition, teaching more than 100 student and community nutrition courses, appearing at events like the Fremont Free Food Fair and promoting the benefits of drinking water.
Worked with community partners and student advocates to fight vaping, tobacco and substance use among LAUSD students.
“None of this would have been possible without the help of partners and allies,” said Anna Baum, director of development and communication. “We’re very grateful for their support, especially in times like these.”
Puffer gave special thanks to The L.A. Trust Board of Directors “who work selflessly so every L.A. student can have equal access to healthcare and an equal shot at success.”