Chad Brownstein was a former board member of LA Conservation Corps and has chaired multiple annual capital campaigns.
The primary mission of the LA Conservation Corps is to provide at-risk young adults and school-aged youth with opportunities for success through job skills training, education and work experience with an emphasis on conservation and service projects that benefit the community.
LA Conservation Corps began to help LA’s youth find a way out of poverty. Shocking statistics prove that 1 in 5 youths in Los Angeles are out of work and not in school. The programs through the Corps give them a chance to get work experience and learn life schools through projects like building parks, planting trees, and refurbishing hiking trails. In addition to life and work skills, they also provide the youths with a high school level education through an affiliated charter school.
Now, the Young Adult Corps program has been enhanced to include a Green Career Pathway which puts an emphasis on the environment by inspiring the youths in the program to seek out jobs with an environmental focus, whether that be construction, land management, energy or manufacturing.
In addition to the Youth Corps program, the LA Conservation Corps also has The Sea Lab, which provides the community with free and low-cost education on marine science and conservation; the Corpsmember Development program, which helps with things like case management and transition services; an after school-program; and more.
Westbrook/Brownstein Green Tech Program (WBGT)
The LA Conservation Corps (the Corps) announces the launch of Westbrook/Brownstein Green Tech Program (WBGT), an initiative steered by a partnership between LA native and NBA superstar Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation and LA philanthropist Chad Brownstein.
The program will provide digital job skills to at-risk young adults in the Corps and break down the digital divide by providing skill training for green tech job opportunities to 500 Corpsmembers in Los Angeles.
The Westbrook/Brownstein Green Tech Program will expose Corpsmembers to achievable career paths and provide technology related tools and education.
The program will include classes that train students in computer literacy and introduce marketable skills like coding, drone piloting, and computer engineering. The partnership will also fund the second pillar, the Westbrook/Brownstein Green Futures Lab, where new computers and necessary equipment for intro classes will be installed. The third core initiative is the advanced drone piloting career path program which will be the creation of a quarterly advanced training program designed to position students to enter the game-changing career path of drone maintenance and piloting.
Chad Brownstein and Russel Westbrook meet with LA Conservation Corps members.
“It means a lot to me to partner with Chad and the LA Conversation Corps on this new project. As a kid who grew up here in LA, I know how important it is to feel supported and empowered by the community. By helping to provide these resources my hope is that the youth will be able to see how bright their future can be and expand the vision of what they think they’re capable of” said Westbrook.
An initial donation will be facilitated by Russell Westbrook’s Why Not? Foundation and Chad Brownstein; with their robust network and partners, they will continue to fundraise for additional programming.
“It’s an honor to work with Russell who has a track record of benefitting at risk youth. This partnership is a wonderful opportunity to positively contribute to a city we love” said Brownstein.
“The Corps family is so grateful for and energized by Russell and Chad’s commitment to our Corpsmembers” shared Wendy Butts, CEO of the LA Conservation Corps. “For over 30 years, the Corps has championed the belief that building a young person’s confidence in themselves and opening their eyes to their educational and career possibilities can change their world. By investing in the technical skills needed to pursue careers in the growing green sector, Russell and Chad are helping Corpsmembers change everyone’s world.”
Russell Westbrook, a UCLA alumnus and Los Angeles native has always been passionate about empowering children in underserved communities. The mission of the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation is to inspire the lives of children, empower them to ask, “Why Not?” and teach them to never give up. The foundation works to help children that are facing hardships of any kind, and when faced with that adversity, fight to succeed and to never give up. Russell Westbrook and his brother were taught to ask, “Why Not?” every time they were told they could not do something. It is this encouragement and strength that Russell and his family want to spread to children across the country. Founded in 2012, the Russell Westbrook Why Not? Foundation is dedicated to supporting community-based education and family service programs while encouraging youth to believe in themselves.
Chad Brownstein has been a leader in LA philanthropic endeavors for two decades, including being an initial member of the 2028 LA Olympic Committee. Brownstein has an established relationship with the Corps, as he previously served on its board as finance committee chair. He has also been involved in positively affecting the lives of over 1,000,000 at-risk youth in underserved areas of Los Angeles.
The launch of the Westbrook/Brownstein Green Tech Program took place Monday, August 19, 2019 at the LA Conservation Corps’ John Van de Kamp Center in Los Angeles, with both Westbrook and Brownstein participating in a tour of the facilities.