Present Now

PRESENT NOW is a Los Angeles-based national 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded by social entrepreneurs and philanthropists Melanie Neumann and Erica Fisher in 2012. Our mission is to provide children living in transitional domestic violence shelters with experiences and gifts that bring them joy, comfort, and relief during a time of crisis. When families flee abusive homes they leave everything behind. The driving force behind PRESENT NOW is our Presents Program, which addresses the needs for essential goods and specialty items and emotional support. It is designed to enhance children's services already provided at the shelter, while also inspiring the creation of new child-centric activities. Three distinct focus areas: Presence of Love (Valentine's Day), Presence of Mind (Back-to-School), and Presence of Being (Birthday) help children who are living in shelters know that they are not forgotten as we celebrate their special moments and create moments of joy and recovery for families who are starting over. Our 200+ volunteer force customizes and packs presents for children and young adults residing at shelter partners throughout the year. The majority of our volunteer force is made up of our Presence of Joy cohort - consisting of Los Angeles-based high school students. Presence of Joy (PoJ) is a high school volunteer initiative and educational program designed to raise awareness about domestic violence, shelter life, and teen dating violence. Students also participate in select activities during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October that bring joy to children living in domestic violence shelters. PoJ members are eligible to receive community service hours through their schools and accrue hours towards the Presidential Service Award each calendar year. With your support, we hope to make a change today for a child’s tomorrow.