When Mondays at the Mission celebrated its 600th class, Love Button helped mark the occasion by funding the program’s first $2,000 Akeeva Legacy Award. The scholarship was presented to Leah, who is working toward her goal of becoming a nurse.
Leah isn’t the only student whose education Love Button has helped fund through Mondays at the Mission. Maria recently started college with a scholarship and a computer provided through the program. Both young women have their own goals, and we’re proud to help them pursue what comes next.
Both students are part of Mondays at the Mission, a volunteer-led program at Union Rescue Mission that offers mentorship, career guidance, and life-skills classes to teens and young adults experiencing homelessness on Skid Row. Here’s a little more about the young women behind these scholarships.
Meet Leah
Leah moved to Los Angeles on her own at age 20 with a goal of becoming a nurse. She works and volunteers at Union Rescue Mission while continuing to pursue that path.
At the 600th class celebration, Leah received the $2,000 scholarship made possible by Love Button’s donation. As she accepted the award, she heard a message from the community behind her: “We see you. We believe in you. We are proud of you. And you are not alone.”
The scholarship gives Leah support as she continues her education and recognizes the determination she has shown along the way.
Meet Maria
Maria is 18 and recently started college. She loves to write and sing, and she’s become a role model for her younger sister and other young people living at the shelter. The Mondays at the Mission team describes her as kind, resilient, and determined.
With Love Button’s support, the program provided Maria with a scholarship and a computer she can use for her coursework. We’re happy to help her begin college with tools she can put to use right away.
We are so proud of Maria and excited to see where her determination and bright spirit take her next!
A Partnership That Continues to Grow
These may seem like small acts, but to a young person experiencing homelessness, they can become a bridge to an entirely different future.
We’re grateful to Mondays at the Mission for the work they do with young people each week, and we’re proud to play a part in Maria’s and Leah’s education. Through our Love in Learning program, we hope to make more of these opportunities available to talented and determined young people who simply need a little support to keep moving forward.
If you’d like to help make that possible and open a door for someone else’s tomorrow, donate to Love Button. Together, we can help more young people discover that their circumstances do not have to define their future.
