California Community Foundation (CCF) has launched IamBLOOM (www.iambloom.com), a new website and online community about and for young Black men in Los Angeles, as part of a strategic initiative to create a viable pathway to better educational and job opportunities for Black male youth who have been involved with the probation system.

IamBLOOM features the profiles of the Black males 14-18 years of age in Los Angeles who are turning their lives around, as well as opportunities for companies, government agencies, charitable foundations, service organizations and concerned individuals to provide much-needed support. 

The visually impactful, user-friendly website allows visitors to:

• view and read the personal bios of the young men being helped through BLOOM
• engage in dialogue within forums with other members of the online community
• access and post events or opportunities like job fairs, career workshops, etc.
• share content related to or about BLOOM
• volunteer, pledge jobs or educational opportunities, and donate easily to the initiative

“IamBLOOM humanizes one of the most pressing issues in the Los Angeles community: what to do for young Black men with great potential but enormous odds against them,” said Robert Lewis, BLOOM Initiative Director.  “We want to counter stereotypes and facilitate a way for community, business and educational institutions to start working together to significantly reduce, if not eliminate those odds.”

IamBLOOM is part of the Building a Lifetime of Options and Opportunities for Men (BLOOM) Initiative of CCF, the only philanthropic effort that focuses on redirecting Black males previously involved with the L.A. County probation system to a brighter future.  Started in May of 2012, BLOOM seeks to create jobs and educational opportunities for at least 2,000 young Black men ages 14-18 by 2017.

California Community Foundation (CCF) has been serving Los Angeles communities since 1915.  It encourages philanthropy by individuals, families, companies and organizations, and serves as a steward of their charitable funds and legacies.  It partners with local nonprofits and other foundations to address needs in their communities and provides grants, loans, scholarships, fellowships, and other support.  It convenes private, public, nonprofit and foundation leaders in community problem solving and advocacy work.  For more information, visit www.calfund.org.