The Gabriella Foundation

TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF UNDERSERVED YOUTH IN LOS ANGELES THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY DANCE INSTRUCTION.

THE GABRIELLA FOUNDATION IS A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION THAT WAS FOUNDED IN MEMORY OF GABRIELLA AXELRAD. THE MISSION OF THE GABRIELLA FOUNDATION IS TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE POWER OF HIGH-QUALITY DANCE EDUCATION IN LOW-INCOME AREAS OF LOS ANGELES. THE VISION OF THE GABRIELLA FOUNDATION IS TO CULTIVATE IN OUR YOUNG STUDENTS OF DANCE THE LIFETIME SKILLS OF COLLABORATION, DISCIPLINE AND SELF-EXPRESSION SO THEY BECOME CONFIDENT AND ENGAGED PARTICIPANTS IN THEIR EDUCATION, CAREER AND COMMUNITY.THE GABRIELLA FOUNDATION STARTED ITS EVERYBODY DANCE! PROGRAM IN MAY 2000 THE TOWNHOUSE, AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT LOCATED IN INNER-CITY LOS ANGELES, WITH TWELVE CLASSES SERVING 35 FIRST-TIME DANCERS. FROM THE BEGINNING, THE GOAL WAS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY DANCE INSTRUCTION AT LITTLE OR NO COST TO ETHNICALLY DIVERSE, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN. OVER THE YEARS, THE PROGRAM HAS EXPANDED EXPONENTIALLY AS DEMAND HAS INCREASED. THROUGH IN- AND AFTER-SCHOOL DANCE CLASSES, THE PROGRAM CURENTLY SERVES OVER 4,400 STUDENTS ANNUALLY WITH CLASSES IN BALLET, TAP, JAZZ, HIP-HOP AND MODERN DANCE AT OVER 25 SITES IN MACARTHUR PARK, SOUTH LOS ANGELES, AND WATTS. ON AVERAGE, STUDENTS IN THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM STAY WITH EVERYBODY DANCE! FOR 7+ YEARS AND 30% STUDY MORE THAN ONE DANCE FORM - THE DEPTH OF LEARNING THEY EXPERIENCE BECOMING PART OF THEM AS THEY TRANSITION INTO POST-HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE AND CAREER PURSUITS. EVERYBODY DANCE! IS ANYTHING BUT FLEETING: 99% OF STUDENTS SURVEYED SAY THAT EVERYBODY DANCE! IMPROVES THEIR PHYSICAL FITNESS; 94% SAID THEIR SELF-ESTEEM IMPROVED; 97%, THEIR SELF-EFFICACY; AND 96%, THEIR SENSE OF BEING SUPPORTED BY FRIENDS AND THE COMMUNITY.PRIOR TO JULY 1, 2013, THE GABRIELLA FOUNDATION OPERATED A PUBLIC CHARTER ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL KNOWN AS GABRIELLA CHARTER SCHOOLS (THE CHARTER). UPON MUTUAL AGREEMENT OF THE FOUNDATION AND THE CHARTER, AND APPROVAL FROM THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE TWO ENTITIES SEPARATED AND ALL ASSETS HELD BY THE FOUNDATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE CHARTER. IN 2017, THE CHARTER OPENED A SECOND SIDE IN HISTORIC SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. OVER TIME, THE FOUNDATION AND THE CHARTER REALIZED THAT, WITH THE INCREASED SIZE OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND DIFFERING NEEDS, A SEPARATION OF FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES WAS THE LOGICAL NEXT STEP, EFFECTIVE JUNE 30, 2020. DESPITE AND IN FURTHERANCE OF THIS GROWTH THE GABRIELLA FOUNDATION AND THE CHARTER REMAIN JOINED THROUGH A COMMON HISTORY AND PASSION FOR TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF UNDERSERVED YOUTH IN LOS ANGELES THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY DANCE EDUCATION.