Tastemade: The Shift
Tastemade’s documentary, “The Shift,” follows the extraordinary stories of Chrysalis clients Bryon and Darrell and their journeys from incarceration to working for celebrity chef Curtis Stone.
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Los Angeles Magazine: Offering People a Way Back
For more than three decades, Chrysalis has been changing lives through jobs. But the recent surge in the homeless population has only toughened an already challenging task. Los Angeles Magazine sat down with Chrysalis President & CEO Mark Loranger about the crisis and his organization’s work.
VolunteerSpotlight: Steve
From serving on our Board of Directors to providing one-on-one services to clients, Steve is changing lives in a number of ways at Chrysalis!
The Journey Begins: New Roads to Second Chances
“A job gives someone a chance to change their life, but you’ve got to give someone a chance to get a job,” shared Caesar, a graduate of the New Roads to Second Chances program, sponsored by Caltrans and the City of Los Angeles and managed by Chrysalis.
Unstoppable: A Celebration of the Strength, Courage, and Undeniable Human Spirit of our Chrysalis Clients
Last month, Urban Possibilities welcomed us to “Unstoppable,” a graduation ceremony for their 13 program participants. Produced in partnership with Chrysalis, the Urban Possibilities Writing Empowerment Program gives Chrysalis clients the opportunity to build confidence and find their voice.
The Hollywood Reporter: Star Chef Curtis Stone Hires the Formerly Homeless and Incarcerated at His Hollywood Restaurant
“You have to throw the whole notion of a background check away: I know you’ve been homeless. You may have gone to prison. That’s all right with me,” says the ‘Top Chef’ star of his staffing approach, in partnership with L.A. organization Chrysalis, at his restaurants Maude and Gwen.
Chrysalis is Featured in Award-winning Documentary, “Good Fortune,” about John Paul DeJoria
Chrysalis is excited to be featured in the film “Good Fortune,” a new, award-winning documentary about billionaire, businessman/philanthropist John Paul DeJoria.
Chrysalis & the Weingart Center – A Partnership that is Changing Lives
Chrysalis has an exciting new partnership with the Weingart Center that is creating jobs and changing lives!
Los Angeles Times: Tight job market is good news for felons, disabled and other hard-to-employ, but will it last?
At 49, Marshall May Jr. could not remember whether he had ever taken his mom out for a meal.
LA Weekly: This Organization Works With Chefs Like Curtis Stone to Find Restaurant Jobs For At-Risk Angelenos
…an increasing number of Chrysalis participants are finding work in L.A. restaurants. The organization’s direct-hire program — in which companies call Chrysalis’ business development manager, Adam Hirsch, directly to find employees — launched two years ago.
Los Angeles Times: Hollywood heavy hitters help the homeless take wing with the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball
A list of celebrities had jobs on their minds at the 16th Butterfly Ball, the June 3 benefit for Chrysalis, which helps homeless and low-income individuals to attain self-sufficiency through finding and keeping jobs.
Variety: Common, Peter Cramer Honored at 16th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball
Rapper Common and Universal Pictures president of production Peter Cramer were among the honorees at the 16th Annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball Saturday night…
Volunteer Spotlight: Gretchen
“I can’t encourage people enough, when they retire, to find their niche in volunteering with the population that interests them most,” explains Gretchen when discussing her eight years of volunteer service at Chrysalis and her passion for helping those with criminal backgrounds.
NBC: Curtis Stone – Today’s Take
In case you missed it, our #Commit2One partner, Chef Curtis Stone, was on NBC’s TODAY talking about Chrysalis and the importance of second chance hiring.
Volunteer Spotlight: Russ
“I live downtown and I felt compelled to do something about the problems I see all around me. Chrysalis allows me to directly help neighbors in need.” -Russ
Unleashing the Power of Community
Stand Together visited Chrysalis to learn how every year we are helping thousands of folks in our community prepare for, find, and retain employment. Check out the video they created about our programs!
KCAL 9 News: LA voters decide whether to raise sales tax to combat homelessness
KCAL 9 News came to Chrysalis to talk about the rising issue of homelessness and what Measure H can do to combat it.
The Source: Purple Line Extension partners with nonprofit to boost outreach in Fairfax neighborhood
In partnering with Chrysalis, Metro is supporting a Los Angeles nonprofit committed to changing the lives of low-income and homeless Angelenos through job placement…
Los Angeles Times: Starting on the path to permanent housing
Every morning, John Johnson and Sydney Sheiner set out to chat up the people who frequent places such as the Central Library’s Maguire Gardens, the 4th Street overpass and Pershing Square. Their mission is to contact, interview and assist the roughly 130 homeless people living at any time in the west side of downtown.
CBS News: A simple program aims to make life on the street more bearable for the homeless
In one of the country’s richest cities, thousands have no place to stay this Thanksgiving. John Blackstone of CBS News reports on the effort to make life a little bit more manageable for Los Angeles’ homeless population.
An everydayhero: Michael Shenkman
It started with an idea – to remember a son, who had lost his life to addiction. Michael Shenkman came to Chrysalis with a plan to bring together his community for a memorial ride.
Our Inaugural Poker Night
Chrysalis’ inaugural GO ALL-IN: A Texas Hold ‘em Poker Night was a great success. Over $85,000 was raised in support of our mission to help homeless and low-income individuals find and retain employment.
Good: The Road From Prison To A Celebrity Chef’s Restaurant Isn’t Paved In Gold
GOOD reports: “Dinner guests at Gwen, the Los Angeles restaurant and butchery helmed by celebrity TV chef Curtis Stone—who you may know from “The Celebrity Apprentice 3” and “Top Chef Masters”—may not see what goes on behind the scenes.”
A Note from our CEO: Rapid Re-housing and Employment
Chrysalis is now part of two different rapid re-housing initiatives, Breaking Barriers and the Housing and Jobs Collaborative (HJC), in an effort to end the vicious cycle of homelessness, unemployment, and incarceration by helping men and women gain access to housing and employment.
Success Bells: Darrell
Growing up in Beverly Hills and Hollywood with a famous father probably sounds like the type of circumstance that would set someone up for success. But for Darrell, a life a partying, drug use, and too much extra time on his hands landed him in and out of jail for over the course of nearly 20 years.
Breaking Barriers Houses over 100 Clients!
Chrysalis is excited to celebrate a huge milestone for Breaking Barriers. This August, the program hit the 100+ clients housed mark!
NBC LA: Nonprofit Dedicated to Helping Low-Income, Homeless Clients in Job Search
NBC Reports: “Trinidad Ramirez is about as unlikely a hero as you can imagine. Born to a single mother in the Santa Clarita Valley, she ran away from home at 14 years old and had her own children, who were taken away from her.”
REDF announces Chrysalis as a subgrantee of the Social Innovation Fund (SIF) Program
REDF has more than 18 years of experience providing funding and capacity building to employment-focused social enterprises in California. Chrysalis is proud to be included in the new portfolio of the venture philanthropy organization REDF, backed by the federal government’s Social Innovation Fund.
Los Angeles Business Journal: Downtown BID Working on Spike in Homeless
The Los Angeles Business Journal reports: “The Downtown Center Business Improvement District, a coalition of nearly 1,700 property owners in the Downtown area, has partnered with the non-profit organization People Assisting the Homeless to increase outreach to homeless individuals…”
GOOD: How One Nonprofit Integrates the Homeless Back Into Society
GOOD reports: “In 1984, John Dillon was 22 years old and a year out of college, volunteering with Catholic Charities in the Jesuit Volunteer Core. After a year of service on Skid Row in Los Angeles, he decided he wanted to start his own nonprofit to serve the homeless…”