Haute 100 LA Update: Rick Caruso Makes $5 Million Commitment to Operation Progress

Developer Rick Caruso has made a substantial commitment to Operation Progress in the Watt Community of LA.

The CEO and Founder of Caruso Affiliated and his wife Tina have pledged $5 million through his Caruso Family Foundation to provide assistance for more than 200 at-risk youth.

Participating students will receive elementary, high school and college scholarship assistance together with after-school academic tutoring and weekend mentoring services.

The initiative will be coordinated through Operation Progress (www.OperationProgressLA.org), a nonprofit program established in 2000 by a group of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers in the Southeast Division. nner-city youth across Los Angeles.

The initiative’s goal is to support at least 200 students over the next decade, with partners working to guide scholars all the way through college graduation.

Said Caruso in a statement: “Operation Progress was born in Watts, a historic neighborhood in South Los Angeles which was its own city before becoming part of Los Angeles just 87 years ago. This $5 million initiative will provide strong support for this program with a proven record of putting kids on the right track, helping them avoid gangs and violence, and giving them an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty and gain a college education that’s increasingly critical for success.”

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