Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove presented a check for $1,666,279 on Oct. 1, to Butterfly’s Haven, a local shared housing nonprofit dedicated to providing safe housing for unhoused young women and their children.
The funding, secured through the annual community project funding requests, will enable Butterfly’s Haven to open additional housing sites and a workforce development hub with an emphasis on early childhood development and wraparound services for at-risk families in Los Angeles.
At the check presentation, which took place at Butterfly’s Haven’s first housing site in South Central Los Angeles, Kamlager-Dove, alongside CEO Brittany Walker, and two alumni residents, celebrated the organization’s success in transforming the lives of vulnerable youth, many of whom were at risk of homelessness. The funding will help expand the organization’s reach and further its mission of creating housing security and economic opportunities for youth in Los Angeles.
“With a focus on creating permanent supportive housing and economic opportunity for youth ages 18-30, Butterfly’s Haven has transformed the lives of 75 Angelenos and counting who are on the brink of becoming all they are meant to be,” said Kamlager-Dove.
“I am thrilled to have secured this funding for Butterfly’s Haven’s Youth Housing Project, which will provide more young people with a safe place to call home, heal, and grow into the best versions of themselves.”
Walker also shared her gratitude and commitment to expanding the services that have already made a significant impact on the community.
“This funding is a powerful step toward creating dignified housing as a human right,” Walker stated. “We are deeply committed to serving marginalized youth—providing them with not only a safe place to live but also opportunities to grow and thrive.”
Walker, who founded the organization in 2020 driven by her own experience with housing insecurity, has witnessed firsthand the life-changing effects of stable housing and supportive services. Butterfly’s Haven, which began with a single 20-bedroom residence, has now grown to multiple locations, with plans to develop more housing and expand its comprehensive support system.
The additional funding will go towards acquiring a new site that will house the youth hub and workforce development center. Services at this new hub will include workforce training, case management, mental health support, rapid rehousing assistance, childcare services, and financial literacy classes—further cementing Butterfly’s Haven’s role as a vital resource for young people seeking stability and growth.
The event concluded with a symbolic “watering of the garden” ceremony, where attendees joined together to plant seeds of hope for the future—an apt metaphor for Butterfly’s Haven’s mission of helping young women and their children bloom into their fullest potential.
Butterfly’s Haven’s expansion comes at a critical time for Los Angeles, a city facing ongoing housing insecurity challenges, particularly among young people of color. As Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove pointed out, “We know that almost 75% of foster youth in Los Angeles County are young women, many of whom are already mothers by the time they are 21. Butterfly’s Haven is not only doing the hard work of housing and healing but doing it right in the heart of the communities these women come from.”
With the largest grant awarded in this round of funding, Butterfly’s Haven is poised to continue its growth and provide life-changing support to even more young people in Los Angeles.
Butterfly’s Haven is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that provides safe, supportive housing for unhoused young women, particularly those transitioning from the foster care and justice systems. Through its comprehensive services, including housing, workforce development, mental health support, and financial literacy programs, Butterfly’s Haven empowers youth to achieve self-sufficiency and long-term success.
Learn more about Butterfly’s Haven at https://butterflyshaven.org.
