Community Corner

Encino Woman Honored as Unsung Hero of Los Angeles

The awards are presented by the California Community Foundation.

Sophie Alpert of Encino was honored this week as one of the 2013 Unsung Heroes of Los Angeles.

The awards, presented by the California Community Foundation, acknowledge the important contributions being made by individuals tackling the urgent needs of Los Angeles and working to solve the community's most troubling issues.

The winners are:

Sophie Alpert, Piece By Piece, addresses urban poverty in her program to help recently homeless and underserved residents learn art and marketing skills to earn additional income through their own creative mosaic designs.
Ron Finley, The Ron Finley Project, is creating vegetable gardens in vacant unsightly dirt lots of South L.A. to help his community eat healthier and live a greener life.
Maria Suarez, a sex slave victim held against her will for five years by her captor turned into a counselor and advocate for help others like her and  speak out against the horrific tragedies of human trafficking and slavery.
Ezequiel Olvera, Gumball Foundation, helps dozens of teenagers in East L.A. acquire business skills in real-life working situations while they also earn an income to pay for their future academic studies.
Donald Manelli, Care Harbor, gives children and their families living on low income wages, and without insurance coverage, a top quality medical and dental care experience through his annual 4-day health clinic.


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