It all started as a small after school program at an apartment complex in Colton. A few years later in 2013, three friends, Frank Perez, Jeremy Livermore and April Hoss decided to take a leap of faith and turn that program into a cutting edge learning center. Establishing ReWritten, a nonprofit public charity that would be a safe place for kids and teens to learn life skills, explore the arts, receive tutoring and build mentoring relationships, the friends wanted to bring real change into the lives of the young people they served.
Tucked away in a corner suite in South Colton at 1076 Santo Antonio, in Suite A, ReWritten serves children elementary age through young adult/college-aged youth in challenging situations such as single-parent homes, those facing financial hardships and unstable social environments. The ReWritten motto is “Futures for the Fatherless and Underserved.”
Company CEO Frank Perez said that about 40 to 60 kids walk through the hallways at ReWritten on a normal day. “When we have special events where the kids in the program can invite friends, we can see a much bigger group in here, from 100 to 125 kids,” he shared.
Personal learning assessments are done for each student in reading, math, and science and then a customized tutoring plan is formulated to meet their learning needs. Students have been taken on trips to see the ocean in person for the first time in their lives, while other trips have included a walk through famous places in Washington, DC.
The facility is small, but the rooms at ReWritten are tidy, each laid out for different and specific purposes. One room is set up for quiet time, reading, and book club meetings while another is designed “the math room.” Another space has a set of computers available for students and another much larger room is the central hub of the organization.
Loaded with beautiful photographs on the walls (most taken by Perez), there are also plenty of bookshelves and art projects from the students. Portraits of smiling students stare down from the wall. Perez points out that they are ReWritten graduates, his face full of pride. The students come back to share their successes with him and the current students in the program. Each one of them carries their own story of hurt and pain that has been made somehow less burdensome because of things they were taught at ReWritten.
Recently named the 2019 Non-Profit of the Year for California’s 47th District by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez-Reyes, Perez was presented the prestigious award in a ceremony at the State Capitol in Sacramento. Honored by the award, Perez said, “Our greatest hope and goal is to help children find freedom from a broken past and hope for a real future through holistic, every day practical help.”
While the program helps up to a maximum of 60 students a day, there is hope for funding that will allow for expansion to reach others. ReWritten is also in need of volunteers in the following areas: Janitorial/cleaning crew, event help, and administrative support (i.e. reception work). Food pantry items are needed for the children in the program, like fruit snacks, chips, granola bars, sports and fruit drinks.
Fundraising is always priority with the program, to ensure the support of the children. On Sunday, December 5, 2019, the yearly fundraising gala will be held at the Mission Inn from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. ReWritten also holds a yearly golf tournament to raise funds. If you would like to volunteer with ReWritten, or want more information on their program, please contact Frank Perez at (909) 645-6189 or at info@rewritten.org. You can check out their website at www.ReWritten.org.
