For parents of children who have learning differences, especially those that are among the most challenging, the prospect of their child ever living independently as an adult may seem dim. But then there are organizations like Mychal’s Learning Place that provide light.

Mychal’s Learning Place is a nonprofit based in Hawthorne that is dedicated to supporting youth and young adults with developmental disabilities through programs and social enterprises as they strive to live a life with independence. We asked Page Sacks, Development Director at Mychal’s Learning Place, about its history, programs and future.

What areas of treatment does Mychal’s specialize in, and how many people are on the team?

“Since people with developmental disabilities face an 85% unemployment rate, we are really focused on supporting our participants on their path toward developing the skills necessary to find gainful employment and live a life with more independence,” Page says. “Starting with our After School Program, we focus on social development and, as participants grow and show interest, they are able to start exploring the training opportunities at our social enterprises.

The social enterprises Page referenced are Mychal’s Print & Embroidery where participants work on direct-to-garment printing jobs, embroidery jobs and stickers. And in Mychal’s Café & Bakery in Redondo Beach, participants develop skills that include executing recipes, decorating with an attention to detail, engaging customers at the register and much more.

“Mychal’s Café is not only an opportunity for participants to grow,” Page says, “but shows the community at large how capable and able they are of holding employment and how they can be a benefit in any business. We have nearly 30 employees at Mychal’s between our programs and social enterprises, including a few at each social enterprise who were past participants at Mychal’s.”

Mychal’s was founded by Ed Lynch in 2002 as an after-school program focused on creating a warm, inviting, supportive and educational environment for youth with developmental disabilities. It opened a second in Culver City in April 2006, and ultimately raised enough capital to purchase its current facility in Hawthorne.

“As Ed would say, we set the bar high and we give our participants the supports they need to achieve their goals,” says Page. “We aren’t happy with the status quo 85% unemployment rate, and while we are appreciative of our corporate partners who have opened their doors to employment opportunities, there are still so many young people out there who want to be given a chance.  That’s why we started our social enterprises and continue to expand and grow so quickly.”

Page adds: “Nearly every day at Mychal’s Café we hear heartfelt stories from parents and families who want these types of opportunities for their children: a chance to work and feel the pride that comes with it. With the support of our community and guests, we will continue to grow and hopefully open the eyes of business owners to the beauty of giving young people with disabilities a chance.”

We asked Page what is the most gratifying part of her job?

“One of our students, Jose, came to us as a teenager and during his first meeting he said, ‘I’ll never get a job because I have Autism,’” she said. “He then started seeing success inside the adult Path To Independence program. And when an opening at a modern furniture manufacturer in Downtown Los Angeles opened, he jumped at it. With some supports, he learned his job and has now been working there full time for eight years. The best part is that the family-owned business has said he has helped improve the corporate culture just by being himself.

“All of our participants have so much pride in their jobs, and that’s the best part of the job, watching them beam,” Page says.

If you’re the parents of a child with Autism or related learning differences, the team and Mychal’s Learning Place is standing by to talk to you. Visit their website, email them at info@mychals.org or call 310-297-9333.