Year End Campaign:

Emotional Safety

At Heart of LA, emotional safety is foundational, creating the conditions for authenticity, learning, creativity, resilience, and lasting growth. For us, the pillars of emotional safety are:

Trust & Predictability | Acceptance & Validation | Unconditional Care | Safe Expression

Trust and Predictability

Children need to know that their caregivers will respond consistently, compassionately, and honestly to their needs. So we establish predictable routines, clear and fair boundaries, and clean, safe spaces.

Example: Kids at Heart of LA know our problem-solving approach before problems arise.

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Acceptance and Validation

We all have emotions, and for kids, emotions can be big. At Heart of LA, all emotions, both positive and negative, are acknowledged rather than dismissed. This helps children feel seen and understood.

Example: We separate feelings from behavior. We can’t help how we feel, but we can choose what to do with our feelings. This framing helps kids feel seen while also learning how to handle the world more effectively.

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Unconditional Care

Caring for children through mistakes, misbehavior, and conflict demonstrates that they are loved, no matter what, and helps foster confidence in their self-worth.

Example: At Heart of LA, you’ll sometimes hear the phrase “whatever it takes for as long as it takes.” We will help kids overcome any barrier that stands between them and the future they want for themselves.

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Safe Expression

Kids deserve to feel free to share their full selves without fear of ridicule or harsh criticism. Every child should be empowered to express both their fears and their joy, and to understand that not only are they allowed to make mistakes, but that the path of learning is full of them.

Example: Much of our curriculum is centered around exploring identity and the relationship each child has with the world around them. Their unique voices and perspectives have value here.

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Please join us for our Year End Campaign. Now more than ever, kids are experiencing mounting threats to their emotional safety. Los Angeles’ youth have never faced as many challenges at once as they do today, making it more important than ever to give them the chance to navigate childhood and its discoveries with a sense of security. Your tax-deductible donation to Heart of Los Angeles allows us to create spaces where emotional safety is a reality – not a privilege.Thanks to a generous anonymous donor, if you contribute before Dec 31, your donation will be matched. Make twice the impact and start the new year with hope.

If you would like to donate through your Donor Advised Fund, send a check, or wire a contribution, please reach out to ckrause@heartofla.org.

*Almost 90% of our annual operating budget comes from philanthropic gifts and is fueled by the generosity of our community.