Leimert Park Event Offers Aid to South L.A. Families Raising Children with Special Needs

On Saturday, July 25, South Los Angeles families gathered in Leimert Park to receive free diapers, food, and specialized health resources. Organizers said the turnout highlighted the economic strain on households raising children with developmental disabilities.

By Marion Apio | Contributing Writer | California Local News Fellow

Children played across the plaza while parents met with community advisors, financial planners, and local health vendors. Hosted by the Open Arms Food Pantry and Resource Center, the event focused on low-income families raising children with autism.

For Myeta Perdomo, executive director of Open Arms Food Pantry and Resource Center and a mother of a 10-year-old son with autism, the event was personal.

Myeta Perdomo with her family at Leimert Park. Photo by Marion Apio

Advocates emphasize that diagnosis is only the first step. For Angelenos facing systemic economic barriers, acquiring specialized therapies, hygiene supplies, and long-term care remains difficult.

According to the State of Black Los Angeles County Report, Black households in L.A. County have substantially lower median household incomes than white households, while Black residents face the county’s highest unemployment rate. PPIC’s California Poverty Measure shows that 19% of Black Californians lived in poverty in 2024. In Los Angeles County, 65% of Black Angelenos spend more than 30% of their gross income on rent.

Rodella, a parent from Gardena, said the event offered crucial help for single-parent and low-income households.

An attendee poses for a photo while carrying items they’ve gotten from the event. Photo by Marion Apio

“Many of the families with special needs need support—they are left behind, and they don’t know where to go,” said Myeta Perdomo, executive director of Open Arms Food Pantry and Resource Center.

Perdomo operates her organization out of Chesterfield Square near 62nd Street and Western Avenue. The charity provides food and diaper assistance to over 80,000 families. Perdomo also raises a 10-year-old son with autism.

“If we do events more in the community, in the public space where they feel involved and accepted, we can impact more families,” Perdomo said.

Rodella, a parent from Gardena, said the event offered crucial help for single-parent and low-income households.

A family poses for a photo after receiving items from the event organizers. Photo by Marion Apio

“There’s opportunities to come out here and get things that your children need, like food, backpacks, supplies for your children,” Rodella said. “Also, needs for healthcare, it’s just a great thing that people come out here and share the generosity and the kindness.”

Community advisors called on local leaders to direct more resources into South L.A.

“These events are needed because a lot of the people in the community are not aware of what’s going on, and then also their families are needing diapers,” said Margaret Williams, a community advisor with LA Commons.

Williams noted that Leimert Park’s cultural spaces—including LA Commons, the KAOS Network, and the Art + Practice gallery—provide important venues for community education. She also highlighted upcoming youth work programs planned for early 2027 and the anticipated reopening of the historic Vision Theatre.

A demonstration of anti-choking devices to participants. Photo by Marion Apio

Speakers also addressed long-term care planning for dependents with disabilities.

Esperanza Gilchrist, a financial advisor with New York Life, stressed the importance of early planning.

“Planning early is what gives you the most options in the future, and that’s how you show the most consideration to your friends and family,” Gilchrist said. “My takeaway from this event is that the people of Los Angeles are just so kind-hearted.”

Financial advisor with New York Life standing by their booth. Photo by Marion

Preventative health vendors, including representatives from LifeVac, demonstrated anti-choking devices. LifeVac representatives taught caregivers the company’s “place, push, pull” procedure for using the device. LifeVac itself uses the phrase “Place, Push, Pull” to describe its device procedure; it should not be presented as a general medical protocol.

Families seeking resources can visit OpenArmsCharityLA.org or call (213) 300-0080. Open Arms’ current public contact information lists that number.

Marion Apio

Marion Apio is a multimedia journalist from Uganda currently based in Inglewood reporting for the Observer Group Newspaper of Southern California in Los Angeles. She pursued journalism to make information more accessible—especially for underserved communities like the one she grew up in. Her reporting focuses on access to basic resources necessary to advance human rights, education, health and with a strong interest in solutions journalism that highlights working models addressing community-level challenges.

She is a California Local News Fellow, USC California Health Equity Fellow and Widening the Pipeline Fellow with National Press Foundation. Marion has reported for Richmond Confidential, Oakland North, Bloomberg, and has also worked with the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley on issues related to journalist safety and human rights.