CONNECTStudy Hall Hoops: More Than Basketball
Study Hall Hoops: More Than Basketball is a youth development initiative using basketball to provide access to park facilities, structured training, mentorship, and support to young athletes—including those displaced by recent wildfires—helping them build life skills, confidence, and a pathway to success both on and off the court. This grant will help us expand access to under-resourced communities in Los Angeles.
What is the primary issue area that your application will impact?
Wildfire relief
In which areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
San Fernando Valley San Gabriel Valley Central LA
In what stage of innovation is this project, program, or initiative?
Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)
What is your understanding of the issue that you are seeking to address?
Los Angeles youth—especially in wildfire-affected areas—face limited access to structured recreational opportunities that are both affordable and developmentally enriching. Without access to safe park spaces, mentorship, or skill-building programs, many young people are left without healthy outlets for growth. This lack of opportunity contributes to widening gaps in education, income, and overall wellbeing. By addressing this gap through structured basketball training, mentorship, and community engagement, we aim to transform overlooked recreational spaces into springboards for lifelong success.
Describe the project, program, or initiative this grant will support to address the issue.
This grant will support the expansion of Study Hall Hoops’ weekend programming, which transforms public park gyms into safe, structured spaces for basketball training, mentorship, and personal development. Activities include open runs, skills clinics, shooting sessions, and league games—all designed to engage youth who lack access to consistent, high-quality training. Special outreach will focus on youth displaced by wildfires or living in underserved communities, providing both physical activity and a stable support system.
Describe how Los Angeles County will be different if your work is successful.
If our work is successful, Los Angeles County will see a measurable reduction in youth idle time, particularly during high-risk weekend hours when delinquency rates often spike. According to the LAPD and LASD, most youth-related incidents occur between 3 PM and 10 PM, especially on weekends. Study Hall Hoops directly counters this by providing over 150 hours of structured basketball programming per month, engaging 200+ youth annually—many from wildfire-affected or underserved neighborhoods. By keeping young people active, mentored, and supported, we help reduce the likelihood of juvenile offenses, lower community strain on law enforcement, and redirect public resources toward education and opportunity instead of intervention and correction.
Approximately how many people will be impacted by this project, program, or initiative?
Direct Impact: 250
Indirect Impact: 1,000