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Council proclaims April 9 “LA’s Best Day,” hears testimony on program serving 17,000 children
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing April 9, 2025 as LA’s Best Day and heard testimony from program leaders, a principal, a parent and students about the after‑school nonprofit’s role serving 17,000 children across the city.
The Los Angeles City Council on April 4 adopted a resolution recognizing April 9, 2025 as LA’s Best Day and heard testimony about the nonprofit’s work providing free after‑school and enrichment services to tens of thousands of elementary school students.
Councilmember Eunisses Hernández led the presentation honoring LA’s Best, a long‑running expanded‑learning program founded in 1988 in partnership with the city and the Los Angeles Unified School District. “This is a lifeline for working families across the city,” Hernández said, describing the program’s mix of academic support, arts, sports and nutrition services.
LA’s Best President and CEO Michelle Broadnax told the council the program operates in every council district, serves about 17,000 elementary students daily in economically distressed neighborhoods and offers no‑cost after‑school services. Broadnax said the organization also now runs before‑school programming at 13 sites and emphasized that continued public and private support would allow the program to expand services to more children.
Monte Vista Elementary Principal Lucy Hunt described how LA’s Best extends the school day, provides meals, homework help and project‑based learning, and helps parents who need safe, supervised care while they work. Parent Maria Rios and student Ruby Gonzalez gave on‑the‑record accounts: Rios said LA’s Best provided “immense peace of mind” for working parents, and Ruby said the program helped her academically and gave her opportunities to try activities such as robotics and sports.
Votes at a glance: the clerk announced item 2 (the LA’s Best resolution as amended by Motion 2A, Padilla/Rodriguez) was considered and passed 10 ayes. Earlier in the meeting the council also voted 10 ayes to approve items 1 and 3; the transcript lists those items as passed but does not include descriptive text for them in the public record excerpt.
The council presentation framed LA’s Best as an “ecosystem of care” that supports family economic stability by providing after‑school supervision, enrichment and nutrition at no charge. Broadnax asked councilmembers for continued partnerships to expand access so “every child in Los Angeles has the chance to thrive.”
The resolution was adopted as amended; the clerk recorded the vote as 10 ayes. The council set April 9 as LA’s Best Day to recognize the program and inform the public about its services and volunteer opportunities.
The city’s liaison to LA’s Best and the program’s staff said additional information on LA’s Best sites and ways to support or enroll students is available through the organization’s website and the Department of Recreation and Parks.
