Free after-school programs in academics, arts, music, and athletics for youth ages 6 to 24 in underserved LA communities.
Since 1989, Heart of Los Angeles has done something remarkable: it has reached more than 50,000 young people across the city without charging a single family a dime. That number is not a marketing figure. It represents kids from MacArthur Park and South Los Angeles who showed up after school, found a stage or a field or a tutoring table, and discovered what they were capable of.
HOLA operates at the intersection of two things that rarely coexist in underfunded neighborhoods: rigorous academics and genuine creative expression. On any given weekday you might find a middle schooler rehearsing with the orchestra while another works with a mentor on a college essay. The programs are not siloed enrichment add-ons. They are a coordinated effort to close the opportunity gap that separates ZIP codes across this city.
The multigenerational energy here is real. Families return. Alumni come back as mentors. Community members fill the theatre for concerts that pair rising young musicians with seasoned artists. That kind of continuity does not happen by accident. It happens because HOLA has spent 35 years earning the trust of the people it serves.
HOLA's programming covers the full arc of a young person's development, from elementary school through early adulthood. After-school academic programs give students the structured support that helps them stay on grade level and graduate prepared. Family services and community resources extend that support beyond the student to the household.
On the creative and athletic side, youth can join choir, orchestra, or band, explore visual arts, and compete in athletics leagues and clinics. These are not casual drop-in activities. They are structured programs with real coaching, real instruction, and real performance opportunities.
For older students, HOLA goes further. The mentorship program connects young people with adults who have navigated the same neighborhoods and the same obstacles. Scholarship assistance helps families understand and access college funding that might otherwise feel out of reach. Every program is free. Every program is open to the community HOLA has served for over three decades.
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“YOLA@HOLA 8th years, OMG! Great Staff come and join with your kids! Beyond a Learning experience is my kids have gained!!! #WWMEJIA”
— Walter Williams Mejia
Don't just take our word for it - hear from our satisfied customers
HOLA serves youth ages 6 to 24 from underserved communities in Los Angeles, with campuses in MacArthur Park and South Los Angeles. Programs are free and designed to be accessible to students and families who face the greatest opportunity gaps.
HOLA offers after-school academic programs, arts enrichment, music programs including choir, orchestra, and band, visual arts, athletics leagues and clinics, family services, mentorship, and scholarship assistance for college. There is something here for students at every age and interest.
All HOLA programs are free. The organization's mission is to close the opportunity gap, and that means removing financial barriers so every eligible young person can participate regardless of their family's income.
HOLA is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The organization is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
HOLA's administrative offices are located at 2701 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90057. The organization also operates programming across its MacArthur Park and South Los Angeles campuses. Visit heartofla.org for the most current campus information.
Yes. In addition to youth programming, HOLA provides family services and community resources designed to support the whole household, not just the individual student enrolled in after-school programs.
Whether you want to enroll a young person, volunteer, or support the organization's work, you can learn more at heartofla.org. HOLA has been part of the Los Angeles community for over 35 years and welcomes neighbors, donors, and partners who share its mission.
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