About Us
History of Plaza
Plaza Community Center was founded by Rev. Dr. Vernon McCombs and Miss Katherine Higgins in 1905 and incorporated as a non-profit agency in 1916. In the fall of 1932, a training school was opened as part of Plaza’s educational program to provide leadership to Mexican American adults.
Plaza Community Center was designed to offer leadership training, educational and welfare assistance programs, medical services, and recreational activities for children and adults. The industrial department of Plaza Community Center became the Goodwill Industries of Southern California in 1919.
Plaza moved to East Los Angeles in 1956, following the dramatic shift of the Hispanic population to this area. Besides the medical services, Plaza initiated extended childcare services and continued to develop medical and family-oriented programs. In the late 70’s, Plaza initiated child welfare programs using comprehensive bilingual/ bi-cultural methods to provide services to victims of child abuse and neglect. In the 90’s, Plaza greatly expanded its services with the following programs: Family Preservation, L.A. Bridges, Domestic Violence, Perinatal (Esperanza), Healthy Families, Plaza Youth Advantage, Safety Seat Voucher, Teen Smart and CalWORKS. Presently, the primary targeted population is Latino children, youth, and families of low-income status. Plaza provides services to the East Los Angeles and surrounding communities.
We believe in empowering people so they can make positive changes in their lives and the lives of their families.
La Plaza Church 1925
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide high-quality services to the people of Los Angeles. We are committed to meeting the needs of the community and empowering people to make decisions that will have a lasting impact on their lives and the lives of their families.
Our Vision
Our vision is to meet the ever-changing needs of the community and to continue to bring new and exciting programs to the City of Los Angeles. We want to have an impact not only on our community but the world by creating thinkers, advocates, visionaries and passionate individuals that want to see our vision come to life.