Be Creative Art-Based Diversion Program

 With over 50 different contributors, that have experienced and specialize in almost every walk of life, our mentoring program simply understands. We have people that listen and can provide insight on real life experiences. They can not only share stories of overcoming challenges but provide a plan and road map on how to get there.  

While the STP Foundation has been together, providing these services for years, January 6th of 2020 is when our new flagship diversion program will officially launch. We are excited to share a combination of all of our previous successful experiences, rolled up into one all inclusive program.. With the support of the City of Los Angeles, the program officially launches out of its District 11 with the approval of councilman Mike Bonin and support of the greater community at large, we understand the importance of taking a more constructive approach and understanding on how to deal with these challenges, without just putting people in jails as the only solution. 

 Each year, the City of Los Angeles spends over 7 million dollars abating graffiti vandalism; and this doesn't even include the much larger cost to private citizens and businesses who spend their own funds to remove blight.  But no dollar amount can begin to confront the cost of losing countless lives of young people for whom vandalism is a gateway to much more serious and long term criminal behavior.  We must interdict the escalation of criminality in these young "gateway" offenders before it becomes embedded and the most successful and positive way to do so is by implementing  programs such as STP's Pre-Diversion education class. Growing up in Los Angeles... George Francisco VP Venice Neighborhood Council President Chamber of Commerce

 Be Creative offers both an eight and twelve week, hour and a half session, that meets once a week. It's a mentor driven, art-based, diversion program. For more in depth details, please read our key offerings 

The STP Foundation, creator of Be Creative was honored at city hall in downtown Los Angeles for ten years of service to the community. By maintaining the Venice Art Wall program, it provides and gives the public a place to express themselves artistically, and explore a variety of community based programs.

A major part of our program is working in local neighborhoods providing street and beach clean ups, graffiti removal, and general community service. A huge portion of our program teaches accountability and labor intensive work.