More Than Shelter Services, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) corporation dedicated to raising operating and capital funds to perpetuate the much-needed social service programs launched by Century Housing throughout Southern California.
More than half of Los Angeles Unified School District’s students fail to finish high school.
Century/Learning Initiatives For Today® (Century/LIFT®) provides tutoring for 300 students living primarily in affordable housing developments. Students in grades 1-12 work on their homework, receive individualized academic tutoring, and acquire computer skills—usually just doors away from home.
And the results are proven. After only one year of tutoring, Century/LIFT students achieved measurable and statistically significant improvements in both verbal skills and grade point averages, according to independent studies.
Parental involvement is a key component of Century/LIFT, with parents attending workshops and volunteering for program activities. This involvement, in addition to the tutoring itself, creates a better sense of community in each Century/LIFT apartment complex or development. Vandalism, for example, is dramatically reduced.
A Uniquely Designed Program
Tutors are recruited from local school districts, colleges, and the community—some are even Century/LIFT graduates. Tutors are paid and trained to encourage a sense of permanence, consistent attendance, and quality. Century/LIFT has been selected by the Los Angeles Unified School District to be one of its 2004-2005 providers of supplemental education services under the No Child Left Behind legislation. This means that even more local students will have assistance with homework, targeted tutoring in literacy and math, and a better chance of attending college. See our news release for more details on this great new program. The Foshay Learning Center, DanBerg Development, Inc., and the University of Southern California continue as Century’s partners in ensuring the program’s success. Century/LIFT has recently expanded to work with students transitioning from homelessness. New sites in the Westwood Transitional Village and Century Villages at Cabrillo will enable these students to focus on their academic skills, while their other social, housing, and nutritional needs are met at these transitional housing sites. Century/LIFT also operates in the P.A.T.H. (People Assisting The Homeless) Regional Homeless Center just off the 101 Freeway in Hollywood. With continued support from More Than Shelter, enrollment continues to climb and more sites are being developed, with a goal of growing from the current 300 students served annually to 5,000 students served annually by 2011.
Learn about Century/LIFT
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Many of our students will be the first in their families to go to college.
One of the primary goals of the Century/LIFT program is to assist students in reaching the goal of a college degree. Participating students who complete the program and meet entrance requirements are eligible for four-year, tuition-free scholarships to the University of Southern California and Pitzer College, part of the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, California.
To help make this goal a reality, Century/LIFT has partnered with the law firm of Winston & Strawn in the development of three Century/LIFT — Winston & Strawn Teen Centers. These centers are designed to keep Century/LIFT students involved in the program at a critical time in their development—their teen years. Century/LIFT teens expressed a desire for their own program—some of them even dropping out of the program rather than staying integrated with the younger students. The new centers have relaxed, academic settings and are open evenings and weekends, giving teens a safe, productive, supervised environment during their free time. The centers will also focus on college application assistance and financial aid advice.Donations to More Than Shelter ensure that additional students go to college.
Get Involved!
If you are interested in donating educational supplies or providing funding for Century/LIFT activities, please contact Cathy Cates, Director, Fund Development, More Than Shelter Services, Inc., at (310) 642-2053 or
More Than Shelter Services, Inc. | 1000 Corporate Pointe | Culver City, California 90230 | 310 . 642 . 2053|info@morethanshelter.org
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Century/LIFT has been selected by the Los Angeles Unified School District to be one of its 2004-2005 providers of supplemental education services under the 