Ken Calls Covenant House an "Oasis in Hollywood"

Ken arrived in Los Angeles on January 1, 2001 to work in the entertainment industry It didn’t take long before he was working on TV and cable shows. Having been in Hollywood for several years now, Ken felt an emptiness and realized it was from not giving back to the community in which he was living. That’s when he heard about Covenant House California from his neighbor, Christine, who had recently become a volunteer and was sharing her experiences with him.

Soon after he became a volunteer. It was only natural that Ken got involved in the HBO Digital Dove program. “It’s very gratifying to see these kids learn about video production—having their own voice and being able to express themselves through video. Experiencing their joy reminds me why I got into this. I wasn’t really expecting that they’d be so open and enthusiastic—especially from hearing where they’ve come from. For the kids to be that way was surprising!” With a smile, he says, “I get so much out of it myself, I felt like I needed to do more so I volunteered to take the kids to the YMCA.”

Ken arrives at 6:45am on Tuesdays and Thursdays to take kids to the YMCA. “I’m impressed because kids at that age. It’s inspiring to see how disciplined they are to get up that early in the morning. It gets me up too!” He helps them in their training with weights, basketball, pool, and spin-class. They’re at the gym for an hour then he gets to hang out and bond with them even more when they go back to Covenant House and have breakfast in the cafeteria.

Living in Hollywood, one can get lost among all the dreams. “I’m so glad I finally woke up and found the opportunity to give something of myself and help out at Covenant House California. It’s an oasis in the middle of Hollywood for the kids—to bring some positive energy. The people who work there are pretty impressive, too!