AYF to Revitalize Streets of Hollywood with 7th Annual Little Armenia Beautification Project

LOS ANGELES–The Armenian Youth Federation is gearing up for its seventh annual Little Armenia Beatification Project when hundreds of volunteers are expected to mobilize in a unified effort to once again revitalize the streets of Hollywood. Among the most highly anticipated events in the Armenian community in South California, the project is set to take place this Sunday, May 2nd.

With Los Angeles home to one of the largest Armenian communities outside the Republic of Armenia, the Little Armenia Beautification Project, organizers say, has become an effective way for the youth to give back to their community in what many Armenians call their “home away from home.”

According to estimates by the City of Los Angeles Sanitation Department almost 30,000 pounds of trash have been removed from the streets thanks to the efforts of dedicated Armenian youth. Much like last year, event volunteers will be removing trash from the streets, planting trees and removing graffiti, in a concentrated effort to beautify the area.

The opening ceremony will commence at 10:00 am at the Rose and Alex Pilibos Armenian School, located on Alexandria Ave. Before hitting the streets, volunteers will participate in a formal program that includes an address by California State Assembly Member Kevin de Leon and other honored guests. The clean-up will last until 3:00 pm.

Committed to engaging Armenian youth in the Little Armenia community, the AYF Hollywood Musa Dagh Chapter is hosting this year’s organized cleanup. To chapter Chairwoman, Maria Maadanian, the Project serves many purposes. “Little Armenia is symbolic to us all as Armenians living in the Diaspora,” said Maadaanian. “It is our responsibility to give back to the entire Hollywood community by making it a cleaner and better place to live.”

“It’s our home away from home and it is our job to respect it, and take care of it, any way we can,” she added.

Every year, for the past six years, the AYF has rounded up Armenian youth from across California and the western United States to give back to this community. This one-day campaign has also attracted volunteers from Arizona, Nevada and Texas to make the trip to Los Angeles and help the AYF remove thousands of pounds of trash from the streets in Little Armenia.

With chapters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization. Inspired by the past and motivated by the needs of the future, the AYF actively strives to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of all Armenian youth.