Amistad de Los Angeles celebrated four years of hard work on June 17 with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the facility located in South Central Los Angeles.  The “official ribbon cutting” was done by California Sen. Gil Cedillo,  the featured speaker, Mary Phillip, the Director of the Office of Substance Abuse Programs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation—CRCR-- (which provides most of the funding) and Jim L’Etoile, Director of Parole for CDCR (and the first project manager for Amity’s nationally known project at the RJ Donovan Correctional Facility, which began in 1990.

Senator Cedillo praised Amity Foundation for it’s hard work in keeping men from returning to prison in California. He also noted the great work that Amistad has done in building community and partnerships with local business and education services.

The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors and the City of Los Angeles also presented Amistad with official Congratulations and Best Wishes for continued success.

Other speakers included: Rod Mullen, President and CEO of Amity Foundation; Robin McGrath, Director of Services; Mark Faucette, Facility Director, and two graduates of the Amity RJ Donovan Project, Gerard Hernadez and Charles Goshen—both of whom grew up in the neighborhood, and who are now assistant facility managers at Amistad.  Representing the history of TCs in corrections, former CDCR Director Jim Roland spoke, as well as Dr. Lewis Yablonsky, author of the original book on therapeutic communities published in 1964.

The Bryant Temple AME Church rocked the house with the gospel group, CHOSEN. Heather Hardy, Director of the Arts and Culture Programs at Amity—an Amity and professional musician played to a pleased crowd!

Amistad also honored the members of the business community in Los Angeles that have donated many items used to help make the Amistad facility what it is today.

One county official who had been coming to the facility for over 30 years marveled at the transformation that has occurred since Amity has acquired the facility---the parking lot has been transformed into a grass and tree filled park between the four story “hotel” building and the former parole offices---now a beautiful dining room with a professional commercial kitchen providing vocational training to Amistad residents.

Speakers made it clear that this is just the beginning. Amity Foundation intends to move beyond the physical facility to provide help, assistance, and services in the surrounding community---one plagued by poverty and crime.

Many people that had previously seen the facility when Amity Foundation began the work could not believe the transformation that was done. The project has expanded out to the Los Angeles community by providing services to families of the students enrolled in the facility as well as other community organizations.

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