On Tuesday, December 21, we surprised two local families in need with $2,000 checks to help pay for toys, food, and unpaid bills. “We identified two families this holiday who were in urgent need of support from us,” said Flaviola Garcia, ECDA’s Community Relations Coordinator. “We knew we had to find a way to make […]

El Centro de Amistad played Santa this holiday season by inviting 85 local families to a private charitable event that was held at ECDA’s two locations (566 South Brand Blvd. in San Fernando and 7038 Owensmouth Ave. in Canoga Park) on Friday, December 17. The 85 families were greeted with cookies, popcorn, and candy canes, […]

Having left her home country of El Salvador in 1986, Magali Gallegos understands the struggles and obstacles that immigrants face in a foreign place. She believes that had her family known about El Centro de Amistad; they could have benefited from the resources. Now, Magali will be able to lend her expertise and experience to […]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. According to the CDC, in 2020, approximately 1 in 54 children in the U.S. was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Studies also stated that boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. […]

Providing high-quality mental health and family support services to under-served communities is at the core of ECDA’s mission. Everything we do is tightly focused on accomplishing that mission. Throughout our 44 years of service, ECDA has served more than 110,000 individuals, empowering the lives of children, families, and individuals for a better tomorrow Our involvement […]

When his wife, Angie Sanchez, became employed right out of college at El Centro de Amistad (ECDA), Enrique Sanchez could not have imagined what was in store for him. Throughout the past ten years, Angie shared stories with Enrique of the common hardships families overcome. Her dedication and expertise were recognized when she was promoted […]

Adolescence is a difficult transition for many teens and their families. They face transitions in the home, school, and socially with peers. This is when so many physical and emotional changes occur, which may be critical for their overall success into adulthood. However, this transition may be even more difficult when our teens face additional […]

Thank you for celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month by joining us at our Mental Health Conference titled ‘Tools 2 Thrive’ Mental Health Conference on May 12. We were thrilled to have you all join us at our first virtual conference. Key conference speakers included Alejandra Trujillo, a licensed marriage and family therapist, an infant, child, […]

About 8% of Californians have no form of health insurance, but a disproportionate share are immigrants. They make up 27% of the state population, but 48% of them are uninsured. In addition, undocumented immigrants are unable to buy plans through Covered California. The greater Los Angeles metro area is home to almost a million undocumented […]