FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Xina Yee
Phone: (818) 433-7600
Email: press@etmla.org
Website: www.etmla.org
Los Angeles, CA – On February 9, 2023, The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation presented the 2022 HALO Award to six nonprofit recipients across Los Angeles, including Education Through Music-Los Angeles (ETM-LA) and ETM-LA Volunteer Coordinator Francis Lansang. The HALO Awards are given annually to organizations for the dual purposes of providing a capacity grant while celebrating the partnership between individual volunteers and the nonprofits with which they work. A selection committee comprised of local nonprofit and Foundation leaders volunteer their time, thoughtfulness, and expertise to select the recipients of the award.
Lansang began volunteering with ETM-LA over eight years ago. One of his earliest volunteer activities included joining a small but mighty clean-up crew post-gala, back in December 2014. He signed up to help unload the U-Haul truck at 6:30am the morning after the gala. Since that moment, he has not stopped “rolling up his sleeves”.
As an actor and musician, Lansang attributes the arts as having impacted his life and seeks to make a difference in the lives of youth. A natural leader who is beloved and respected by all, he inspires through his service and selfless action – whether taking it upon himself to retrieve a child’s retainer from the venue’s dumpster, or waiting with a stranded music teacher in Hollywood who locked their car keys. Like a superhero, he shows up at the right place at the right time to save the day; no project is too small or large.
“Music makes my life better. It ignites all
my senses and connects me with the
people and the world around me.” – Francis Lansang
A big picture thinker, Lansang represents the best of the Volunteer Program. During the pandemic, he became the ETM-LA Volunteer Coordinator (unpaid). Lansang’s leadership, trustworthiness, strong people skills, and strategic mindset have strengthened ETM-LA’s work internally and advocacy externally. He continuously comes alongside the team and community members in ETM-LA’s work towards social justice.
Lansang finds joy in the nuance of communication with diverse peoples – revamping training guides on “external-facing” responsibilities to help volunteers feel more comfortable engaging with the general public as ETM-LA ambassadors. He widely welcomes volunteer recruits and candidates, meeting with each person individually and sharing key feedback. Through this, he has furthered ETM-LA’s mission and strengthened the Volunteer Program for the long-term.
ETM-LA believes that volunteers play a critical role in continued organizational success by providing invaluable service in numerous ways. To that end, individuals from all fields and backgrounds can get involved. ETM-LA volunteers have opportunities to utilize their expertise as well as to build new skills.
We congratulate all of the 2022 HALO Award Winners:
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights | Volunteer: Irma Yaneth Escobar
Communities in Schools of LA | Volunteer: Jiten Mehta
Education Through Music-Los Angeles | Volunteer: Francis Lansang
LA Family Housing | Volunteer: Michael Weber
Rainbow Labs | Volunteer: Jacob Rostovsky
Sprouts of Promise | Volunteer: Julia Rhonton
About The Halo Awards:
The HALO Award began with a desire to reward volunteers doing exemplary work in their communities, and then evolved to include critical capacity building focused on strengthening nonprofit volunteer programs in Greater Los Angeles. The dual purposes of the grant emphasize and celebrate the partnership between individual volunteers and the nonprofits with which they work. Since 2011, over 60 nonprofit organizations have been impacted by the HALO Award program in their approaches to volunteer management, strategic planning and operations, and capacity building. https://www.haloawards.org/
About The Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation:
The mission of the Carl & Roberta Deutsch Foundation is to improve the quality of life of present and future generations by funding programs that empower people to reach their fullest potential, strengthen communities, and promote the health of our society.
# # #
Education Through Music-Los Angeles is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide and promote music in under-resourced schools as part of the core curriculum for every child in order to enhance students’ academic achievement, creativity, and overall development.
For more information: www.etmla.org