While Hollywood may seem like a glamorous place full of backlots and movie stars, the City Dwellers program of the Hollywood Urban Project serves a different Hollywood. The City Dwellers live and volunteer in a 16-square-block immigrant and second-generation Latino neighborhood that is economically and socially removed from the movies and their studios. The City Dwellers, which is a site of the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Young Adult Volunteer Program, run programs out of a community center located in the middle of this neighborhood. They provide a wide range of programs, from ESL classes to Bible study, all intent on building community and the body of Christ. The City Dwellers live in apartments behind the center, forming an intentional Christian community focused on spiritual growth as well as service. They serve for one year, with the option of a second and need to raise $500 per month to cover living and programmatic expenses. |
