Press Releases

A Season of Gratitude, Giving, and Community

This holiday season, El Centro de Amistad was proud to bring hope, nourishment, and joy to hundreds of families across the San Fernando Valley through two of our most meaningful annual traditions, our Thanksgiving Distribution and Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program.   On Saturday, November 22, our community came together for a successful Thanksgiving Distribution that served […]

Helping Our Children Feel Safe in an Uncertain World

By: Dr. Tiffany M. Ortiz, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Many parents are noticing that children today seem more worried, fearful, or emotionally overwhelmed and dysregulated. Through social media, news, and conversations online, children are being exposed to frightening images and stories about violence, immigration fears, discrimination, and domestic and global unrest, often without the emotional tools […]

ECDA’s Community Baby Showers: Nurturing New Beginnings

By: Natalie Santoyo, MS, LMFT At El Centro de Amistad (ECDA), we know that the earliest moments of a child’s life lay the foundation for lifelong health, connection, and resilience. That belief came to life during our recent community baby shower events, where families gathered to celebrate new beginnings, build meaningful connections, and access vital […]

Turning Challenges Into New Beginnings

By: Ruchika Puri, MA, LMFT Stephanie, a single mother of three school-aged boys, was referred to El Centro de Amistad through the CalWORKs GAIN program during a particularly challenging time in her life. At intake, she shared that over the past year, she had been struggling to manage daily responsibilities and was seeking support to […]

Helping a Young Boy Overcome Anxiety

At just nine years old, “David”, a Latino boy from our community, came to El Centro de Amistad (ECDA) struggling with severe anxiety. His school referred him to treatment after noticing ongoing symptoms that made it difficult for him to thrive.His mother shared that David had always been anxious—often worrying excessively, avoiding new situations, and […]

Give Hope This Holiday Season

As the holidays approach, El Centro de Amistad (ECDA) is once again launching our annual Thanksgiving Food Basket & Gift Card Drive and Adopt-A-Family Christmas Program. These two campaigns are at the heart of our mission to support families in need throughout the San Fernando Valley, bringing warmth, hope, and joy to those facing financial […]

Swing for Hope: A Milestone Tournament for ECDA

Through every swing, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make El Centro de Amistad’s inaugural Swing for Hope Golf Tournament such a success!   As our very first tournament, this milestone event was only possible because of the dedication of our amazing players and the generosity of our sponsors. Together, we raised vital funds that […]

Cultivating the Next Generation of Community Psychologists: The ECDA Doctoral Psychology Training Program

El Centro de Amistad (ECDA) created its Doctoral Psychology Training Program to help train future psychologists while giving the community access to quality, culturally sensitive mental health care. The program blends learning, compassion, and cultural understanding—values that have always guided ECDA’s work. Since becoming a training site in 2023, ECDA has welcomed students from universities […]

Talking to Children About Community Crisis Situations

Our community has faced a series of devastating crises—from the wildfires in January to the ongoing ICE raids across Los Angeles County. These events have raised deep concerns and anxiety for many of us. Children, too, are exposed to these stressful and often frightening experiences, which can profoundly affect their sense of safety and emotional […]

A Fresh Start for Emma and Her Children

Emma is a single mother of four who, at the time of enrollment, was navigating significant life challenges while living in an overcrowded apartment with multiple family members. The tight living conditions made daily life stressful—not just for her, but also for her children, who needed space to grow, learn, and thrive.   Determined to […]