Our Journey
HISTORY
What does the number 32 mean in our history? What has CRSSLA accomplished and what structure do we use to organize our work? What does one of our co-founders see as our greatest accomplishment? Read below to find out!
Crisis LA
The Community Response System of South Los Angeles (SLCRS) was established in March 2020 as a collaborative network for crisis response. Our mission was born from a need to bridge the gap in resource access during a critical time for our community. Over time, we shifted our identity to Crisis LA to better reflect our ongoing commitment to rapid support and community-driven recovery.
Since our inception, Crisis LA has distributed over 1 million pounds of food, 50,000 COVID-19 tests, and 100,000 pieces of PPE to neighbors in need. We further empowered our youth and families by distributing more than 5,000 laptops, ensuring that the digital divide did not stand in the way of progress during the pandemic's most isolating moments.
Other accomplishments and sponsorships since our establishment with 32 partners include:
- Facilitated $2M+ in direct financial assistance to South LA families
- Launched a bilingual crisis hotline serving 10,000+ callers annually
- Organized 150+ community vaccination and health equity clinics
- Secured 32 long-term strategic partnerships with local faith leaders and nonprofits
- Developed a specialized youth mentorship program focused on digital literacy
Supported by Grants
Initial progress was fueled by the $10,000 and $25,000 seed grants and mini-grants awarded to 32 partners, enabling immediate community action. This initial funding laid the groundwork for our collective response and sustained our network's early mobilization efforts.
Growth accelerated through an additional $4 million in grants, which significantly expanded our capacity for immediate relief work. These resources directly supported partners like the Girls Club of Los Angeles, providing critical aid when it was most urgently needed.
Our longevity is secured by the ongoing support from Dr. Brenda Wiewel and our early institutional partners. Their steadfast commitment ensures that Crisis LA remains a resilient and reliable pillar of support for South Los Angeles families.
Co-founders
The Community Response System of South Los Angeles (CRSSLA) was brought to life through the vision of its co-founders, Robert Sausedo, President and CEO of Community Build Inc., and Cheryl Branch, Executive Director of Los Angeles Metropolitan Churches.
Moved to action by the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Robert Sausedo reached out to 32 representatives from local community organizations. He convened the first conference call to address the disproportionate impact of the crisis on South Los Angeles, a pivotal moment that launched a collaborative network that continues to thrive today.
“I think our greatest accomplishment is the structure itself. In my 30 years of community work in Los Angeles, I’ve never seen 32 organizations come together like this, and stay together for this long, to seek the welfare of our community first.” – Robert Sausedo
Local Stakeholders
Cheryl Branch enlisted local faith-based leaders early on. With 20 years of experience, she knew that if people from the community didn’t organize their own response, South LA would be neglected.
The urgency of the moment required a coalition of the willing, leaders who understood the unique challenges of our neighborhoods and were ready to act before the crisis deepened further.
“When the pandemic hit, we didn’t wait for others to tell us what South LA needed. We knew our people were going to be the last to get resources if we didn’t stand up right then. We called in the pastors, the non-profit directors, the people who were already on the ground, and we told them: South LA depends on us right now.” – Cheryl Branch
“We were building the plane as we were flying it.” – Robert Sausedo
Sourcing Like Crazy
Robert Sausedo brought a unique ability to mobilize resources quickly. With his extensive background in community development and a deep network of connections, he was able to pivot rapidly, rallying diverse partners and essential resources to serve South LA neighbors when they needed it most.
“We were sourcing like crazy. If there were masks in a warehouse in Ontario, we were there. If there was food being distributed in another county, we figured out how to get a truck there for our people.”
Through a transformative USDA grant, Crisis LA was able to stand up a massive health and resource infrastructure. We organized large-scale events at the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Mall, Leimert Park, LAM, and various local churches, creating accessible hubs for health equity and community support.
These efforts resulted in over 10,000 vaccinations and the deployment of dozens of community health workers. This grassroots workforce became the heartbeat of our outreach, providing credible information and care directly to those most impacted by the health crisis in South Los Angeles.
Recognizing the silent toll of the pandemic on our youth, we expanded our focus to include teen mental health. By producing suicide prevention videos and conducting community-led workshops, we addressed the urgent need for mental health awareness, providing a lifeline for teens navigating unprecedented isolation and anxiety.
First Committee: Education
CRSSLA’s work is organized through committees, and education was the first. These efforts began with early virtual workshops and peer groups designed to support families during a time of immense transition and uncertainty.
A high-dosage tutoring workshop was a early milestone, supported by a grant from the Weingart Foundation. This critical work was led by Naomi McSwain and Dr. Laurie Inman, who brought expertise and passion to addressing educational inequities head-on.
The committee's roots trace back to when Naomi McSwain came to CRSSLA. She raised the urgent need for focused educational intervention and agreed to form the committee, solidifying education as a primary pillar of our community response.
“I was so overwhelmed at the Wooten Center. We didn’t know how to handle the learning loss, the technology gap, and the families who were just trying to survive. When CRSSLA asked, it was the answer we needed.” – Naomi McSwain
“Learning loss isn’t just a school issue—it’s a societal issue that hits South LA the hardest. We had to organize a response that was as big as the problem itself.” – Alberta Moore
A Collaborative Network
The high-dosage tutoring project is a clear example of what our committees can achieve when they work in unison. It serves as a working model for our vision of a collaborative network, where individual expertise is harnessed to address community-wide challenges through shared resources and strategic advocacy.
Student Recovery
Alberta attended school board meetings and was eventually invited to the LAUSD student recovery meeting with student board member and a number of board members and other community representatives. This led to student recovery meetings every Saturday for 12 weeks with district and community representatives.
“We were pushing for an all-hands-on-deck approach to helping students recover.” – Alberta Moore
During a virtual meeting with Alexis Coleman, the LAUSD district parent representative at the time for District 1 board member Dr. George McKenna, Alexis suggested the district try high-dosage tutoring. Sandy Rios, representing Great Public Schools Now, also attending the meeting, shared research from other cities where it was working. Naomi also researched the idea and agreed it was the right path forward.
Naomi began working with great intensity to help make tutoring happen on a larger scale. The push for high-dosage tutoring happened through focused advocacy to provide evidenced-based support for students experiencing learning loss. She participated in dozens of meetings, research, calls and emails with LAUSD officials, often quoting other cities where the program was succeeding.
“I told the board that we needed systematic change. I said the world was watching to see what the nation’s second-largest school district would do to help students recover. Now, agencies in our city and across the country are utilizing virtual high-dosage tutoring to help bridge gaps for those with high needs.” – Naomi McSwain
CRSSLA is a place where you can make your voice heard with school board members.
Greatest Accomplishment
Collective work is CRSSLA's greatest accomplishment, in Robert's analysis.
“The structure itself is the accomplishment. The fact that the collective work continues to move and sustain itself, even after the seeds were planted, is the proof of a movement, not just a moment.” – Robert Sausedo
Passing the torch from CBI to LAM solidifies the long-term vision. CRSSLA is being built as the "Red Cross of Urban America," a permanent fixture that ensures our community has its own disaster response and recovery infrastructure, independent of outside political cycles.
“Sustainability means the work doesn’t stop when one leader steps down. It’s about the generations that come next. We are building this for the children of South LA, so they never have to wonder if anyone will be there for them when a crisis hits.” – Cheryl Branch
Please visit our Partners page for the wealth of expertise and resources available through our network.