Published on February 6, 2026
Photos by Alisha Jucevic
CASH LA expanding because "demand is too big and the impact too great"
Timiah Lenard, program manager for CASH LA at the AMAAD Institute, reflects on a year with CASH LA and why the program’s expansion matters now more than ever.
By Timiah Lenard • February 6, 2026
I’m Timiah Lenard.
I had the honor of serving as program manager for CASH LA at the AMAAD Institute.
Over the past year, I’ve had dozens of conversations with young people who were right on the edge – one crisis away from entering the shelter system.
What struck me most wasn’t just the urgency of the need, but how often young people showed up hesitant at first, bracing for the rug to be pulled out from under them. Then, call by call, you could feel the shift: fear turning into relief, and relief turning into a plan.
CASH LA recipients Meah Watson [left] and Melane Cabrera [right]. Photos by Alisha Jucevic.
CASH LA is now expanding because the demand is too big and the impact too great. In the stories below, you’ll meet young people like Meah, Bryan, Melane, and Catherine—each with a different path, but the same truth: when you trust young people with flexible support, they use it to stay housed, stay in school, protect their futures, and finally exhale.
With gratitude,
Timiah Lenard, AMAAD Institute
