TJ observed as an individual working on the Venice Beach Boardwalk collected trash and maintained the area. He felt a sense of pride seeing this. With an over 100-year family history in the Venice community – and in between jobs at the time – TJ wanted to know how he could secure a similar position, […]
With an eight-year tenure as a Chrysalis volunteer, Bob is an avid supporter of assisting clients throughout the job search. Although he had been volunteering in person at our Santa Monica center, he was quick to sign up to administer virtual services after we modified our in-person services in mid-March for the safety of clients, […]
Project Roomkey Protecting Our Most At-risk Neighbors and Providing Employment Opportunities As many across the nation eagerly await a time when we can shake a new acquaintance’s hand or even hug our own friends and family members, the last few months indicate that a return to any resemblance of “normal” may still be out of […]
Geoffrey looks forward to waking up before the sun, getting in his work truck, and heading to the job site each morning. As he reflects on a lifetime of work history and over ten years of combined service in the army and navy, he can’t recall enjoying and thriving in a job as much as […]
A strong ambition to help individuals navigating financial inequalities find stability is just one passion that Chrysalis volunteers Jacob, Jeffrey, and Sadhna have in common. What’s more, they all began volunteering at Chrysalis through their employer and long-time partner OneWest Bank, a Southern California based retail bank with over 60 locations. Jacob, an Orange […]
In a recent Los Angeles Times article, reporter Doug Smith meets with four Chrysalis clients employed in transitional jobs with Project Roomkey. The program – with sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties and developed at the State, County, and local levels – is aimed at supporting unhoused, at-risk individuals age 65 and older, without […]
Kelsey’s interest in social services began while she was studying entertainment law at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law and got involved in a program that assisted individuals from Downtown Los Angeles nonprofits and shelters to launch micro-businesses. She enjoyed the opportunity to work with others to achieve financial independence and, upon graduating, began to look […]
When Aaron describes life growing up as a young boy and teenager, he illustrates a poignant picture of frequently searching for sustenance in dumpsters and navigating living in vehicles and on the street with his mother in the Venice community. “We were always struggling,” he shares, “I had no real foundation for feeling like I […]
Chrysalis President & CEO Mark Loranger submitted a letter to the editor upon reading a recent Los Angeles Times article by reporter Jennifer Haberkorn about policymakers and their proposals for unemployment benefits. In an effort to examine assumptions that extending a $600 federal unemployment benefit would decrease an individual’s interest in seeking employment, Mark surveyed […]
While temporarily suspending in-person services in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 safer-at-home orders, Chrysalis continued to offer our employment program virtually and innovated the way we operated our social enterprise to ensure safe and ongoing transitional employment opportunities for clients. Staff worked closely with clients to navigate many barriers that had become augmented in […]
Established in 1991, Chrysalis Enterprises provides a transitional jobs program to clients who face the greatest barriers to employment. Transitional employment offers our clients the opportunity to gain real-world skills, build confidence, earn a paycheck, and develop the experience needed to find and retain long-term employment. Clients working a transitional job are in an important […]
A little over a year ago, Los Angeles local Stephen was looking for ways to give back and get involved in his community. As a hiring manager for his company, he thought Chrysalis had a variety of fitting opportunities for him. He believed his experience helped him “see the best of both worlds when it […]
Nearly a hundred Thermal-Vac Technology staff members come together almost weekly to share updates and celebrate wins across the company. For La Donna, moments of togetherness and building team morale like this were things she had always heard about but had never before experienced. She describes the supportive and encouraging culture at her job fondly, […]
Homeless encampments on Skid Row, photographed on June 30, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (James Bernal for KPCC) By Julia Paskin Project Roomkey is providing shelter for the most medically vulnerable of California’s homeless population, and some sites are also providing jobs for unhoused state residents. One such employee is Mureithi Davis, who works full-time […]
Chrysalis was deeply troubled but not surprised at the results of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), released on Friday, June 12, 2020. The point-in-time count that had been conducted in January 2020 confirmed that 66,433 people in Los Angeles County were experiencing homelessness – a 12.7% rise from last year’s count of 58,936. […]
Recently, we sent you a note about our commitment to stand with Black leaders and community members who are working to change our country for the better. In continuation, we are writing to express that we believe we have an opportunity right now to address and challenge a broken system – one that is supposed […]
Chrysalis stands in solidarity with all those who are fighting to address systemic racial inequities. The purpose of a chrysalis is to facilitate transformation, and we are committed to supporting change at the individual, organizational, community, and systems levels. We have long been committed to social justice and to challenging the inequities that have blocked […]
Chrysalis Night In 2020 Thursday, May 14 | 7 to 8:30 p.m. (PT) Thank you to all of our sponsors, virtual table buyers, co-chairs, attendees, and special guests for joining us for this memorable night in and helping us raise over $400,000! Click here for Chrysalis Night In 2021 Tickets Chrysalis is a nonprofit organization […]
Some time ago, Antonio stood at a crossroads: get sober or lose his three daughters. Faced with the possibility of losing what mattered most, his resolve to change his life was stronger than ever. When Antonio was ready to reconnect with the workforce, Chrysalis was there with the professional support he needed to get on a pathway to self-sufficiency.
Kathy, a Long Beach local and Chrysalis Orange County volunteer, knew she wanted to continue helping clients despite centers being closed to the public in early March. She was actually the first volunteer to begin providing Chrysalis clients with virtual services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the “safer-at-home” ordinance from local governments, Kathy had […]
Six years ago, around the time Jack was retiring, he met Chrysalis CEO & President Mark Loranger. He became interested in volunteering after getting to know Mark but notes that it was his wife who ultimately convinced him. She reminded him how his career in Human Resources made him a fitting candidate for guiding Chrysalis […]
Nationally-known performance artist and environmental advocate, Treeman is a well-known celebrity in Venice, California. But even local residents may not have been aware that the towering and friendly, animated tree was also someone who was experiencing homelessness. We recently sat down for a Q&A with Treeman so we could learn more about Lionel (Lonell), a […]
Thank you for being a valued part of the Chrysalis community and supporting our mission to change lives through jobs. Like all of you, we are keeping a constant watch on official recommendations regarding COVID-19. This is a rapidly changing environment, but our top priority remains the well-being of our clients, staff, volunteers, and community. […]
When Marshall retired, he knew he wanted to use his newfound free time to volunteer. Though he was searching for the right opportunity, he actually found Chrysalis on accident. While in Downtown Los Angeles for lunch one day, he came across Chrysalis’ center and was quickly intrigued. He sent in a volunteer application and, soon […]
Photo courtesy of David Wagner and LAist.com KPCC and LAist reported today on a study released by the California Policy Lab at UCLA examining the employment history of people experiencing homelessness. Using data from the California Employment Development Department and LAHSA’s Homeless Management Information System, the study “found that nearly half (47%) of working age adults […]
When working one-on-one with clients, Anna likes to focus on self-worth and the importance of fostering a positive mindset in the midst of hardship. She has noticed that clients often express embarrassment about their past or current situations and feel they do not deserve more chances. To counter this, she helps them claim ownership of […]
Move-in days at the property LaShonda manages are some of her favorite days. She describes one resident’s first day in the building: “I was really excited to get her in and say, ‘Welcome home!’ Her energy was awesome!” As property manager of the 76-unit apartment building, LaShonda says that no two days look the same, […]
1,000 more safe storage units are open to the community Through partnerships with the City of Los Angeles and LAHSA, Chrysalis manages several safe storage programs throughout Downtown Los Angeles. The Bin is a place where individuals may access free, secure, personal storage. The announcement made on today by City of Los Angeles officials marked the […]
We recently sat down for a Q&A with Gerardo, a Chrysalis client working a transitional job as part of one of our street maintenance teams based in in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. Chrysalis: How did you find out about Chrysalis, and why did you decide to give our program a try? Gerardo: I […]
Over the years, Kala has lived around the world and had an expansive career ranging from working with the U.S. Department of Justice to singing opera professionally to beginning her own business here in Los Angeles: Five Senses Tastings. She first learned about Chrysalis in a newsletter from Mayor Garcetti, which listed different ways Angelenos […]