JPMorgan Chase has made a $160,000 commitment to the Brotherhood Crusade’s COVID-19 community relief efforts in response to the increasing economic disparities in South Los Angeles caused by the pandemic. The firm’s investment will focus on new workforce skills development and training. The funds will help the Brotherhood Crusade to deliver coaching, training and career transition to support disconnected youth, and underemployed and unemployed families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis across South Los Angeles.
“The COVID-19 crisis is disproportionately affecting people of color across the country which will have long-lasting economic consequences for families and our communities,” said Tracy Dennis, Global Philanthropy Program Officer for the Los Angeles Metro Region at JPMorgan Chase. “We want to ensure that communities across South Los Angeles have the right job skills and training at their disposal to be resilient and recover from this extraordinary crisis. At JPMorgan Chase, we have had a long standing relationship with the Brotherhood Crusade collaborating with local government, businesses and community organizations to ensure vulnerable families have the resources they need.”
JPMorgan Chase’s commitment will enable the Brotherhood Crusade to continue its offerings of career coaching and jobs and skills training for underserved youth and unemployed individuals from low-income households as a vital community resource and YouthSource center for Los Angeles. The funding will support Los Angeles County individuals who are housing insecure, low-wage workers, severely cost-burdened, recently furloughed or hours-reduced, preparing to enter the workforce, or similarly situated due to the COVID-19 crisis.
“JPMorgan Chase’s investment will have real impact in the South Los Angeles community,” said Charisse Bremond Weaver, Brotherhood Crusade President and CEO. “This commitment will help the Brotherhood Crusade support families with tools and coaching services to navigate the fragmented public benefits landscape and government support, and manage their financial lives during job loss and transition needs impacted from the COVID-19 crisis.”
JPMorgan Chase has worked in partnership with Brotherhood Crusade since 2014, as a both a corporate funder and programmatic partner with The Fellowship Initiative helping to deploy resources to support career readiness, college access and skills training for youth.
In addition to JPMorgan Chase’s commitment, the Brotherhood Crusade has set a separate goal of raising $500,000 for its Community Rapid Response Fund to further help support South Los Angeles families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Brotherhood Crusade plans to source additional commitments which will be utilized to provide community support around food and housing insecurities, greater direct access to technologies that facilitate work-from-home situations, and address mental health support.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global emergency that is unprecedented in the modern history of Los Angeles. In compliance with the city’s “Safer at Home” mandate in effect since March 19th, the Brotherhood Crusade has moved all of its programming to “distance learning.” The organization’s staff has been working as “essential workers” since the start of the mandate.
The Brotherhood Crusade upholds its mission to help protect and support the most vulnerable families that it serves. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated the pre-existing conditions and the inequities the South Los Angeles community has faced for decades. The economic inequities are only amplified during the pandemic.
