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Our organization is currently in transition. For more information or questions, please contact Karen Wade at 323.300.6077 or email info@fsstech.org.

Our Mission . . . To provide solutions for success to traditionally underserved groups, through experiences and opportunities that blend the "high-tech, high-touch"skills required to compete and thrive in the 21st Century.

Our Mission & History

From 2001 to 2014, Foundation for Successful Solutions (FSS), founded as FSS-Project T.E.C.H. has served and supported many individuals and organizations in the greater Los Angeles area through digital literacy and computer training classes, computer donations, technical support, and media services that provided personal, educational and professional development. Formerly, we operated our community technology programs at the Tom Bradley Family Source Center in Mid-City Los Angeles community, snd at the South Seas House, located in L.A.’s Historic West Adams District.

For more fourteen years, supported by contributions from individuals and funding from the public and private sector, FSS a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization served a diverse predominately African American and Latino population, of all ages -- children, teens, adults, seniors, families, as well as young people with developmental disabilities.

Through our mission to provide technology access and training to underserved youth, families, and communities, we successfully demonstrated that technology is a tool to be used for personal growth, academic achievement, creative expression, civic engagement, professional skills enhancement, and much more. FSS has contributed to "Bridging the Digital Divide," having been involved in local and national public policy advocacy.

Over the years, our milestones, achievements and signature programs have included:

  • Achieving national recognition as a nominee for the Community Technology Centers' Network Toni Stone Innovation Award, named after the late Antonia “Toni” Stone, lauded as an esteemed pioneer of community programs that address the “digital divide.”

  • Becoming one of the program sites for ScienceQuest, then, a national science and technology exploration program for middle school youth developed by the Education Development Center (EDC), and funded by the National Science Foundation.

  • Working on a variety of programs, services and initiatives with local entities, including SEIU Local 877 (Justice for Janitors); BDPA-LA; Holiday Bowl History Project; Carmelitos Housing Development (Long Beach, CA); YWCA of the Harbor Area; and local neighborhood councils and associations.

  • Economically empowering low-income/working families and individuals by providing free electronic tax preparation and filing through the Internal Revenue Service VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program.

  • Donating computers to families, community groups and individuals who were unable to afford them.

  • Offering a digital storytelling project for adults, including adults with disabilities, in partnership with the Lanterman Regional Center, the Alliance for Technology Access, and the Computer Access Center.

  • Establishing – in collaboration with the famed St. Elmo Village – “We Speak Peace,” a youth media project funded by the Youth Arts and Education Program of the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.

  • Training for underserved communities and individuals on how to utilize the Linux Operating System and free open source software applications to close the “digital divide” that enables free/low-cost access and usage of the Internet.

  • Promoting self-empowerment among renters and low-income individuals/families in neighborhood development and organizing through the, Neighborhood Training Program, a basic digital literacy class. Donations of computers are also made to those participants that cannot afford one.

  • Launching a well-received series of beginning and intermediate level Spanish-language computer and internet courses.

  • Developing economic empowerment through financial literacy classes and free income tax preparation services for low-income families and individuals (the VITA Program). The free tax services are offered through the EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) Campaign Partnership of both the City and County of Los Angeles.

  • Founding the free, ground-breaking community wireless (Wi-Fi) network in the Harvard Heights neighborhood serving several families and individuals in their personal, education and professional development. These families also helped FSS in “building” the network.

FSS is very grateful for the support we have received from our inception to continue our mission. And with that support, FSS is proud of our role in making technology accessible to low-income and underserved communities through our programs and services.

Our hearts remain with the hundreds of individuals FSS served over the years, especially for parents and our elders. Information and Communication Technologies have changed dramatically and will continue with rapid change.

We are open to new opportunities and collaborations that will advance our people, children, families, neighborhoods, and communities!

 

 

 

Our Former Locations: