
Max Rodman (center) got involved with the nonprofit, A Sense of Home, when he was a middle school student. He helped collect items for a home for a youth moving out of the foster system into their own place. He is now the president of the club at Palisades High School.
Photo: Bart Barthomew
BY MAX RODMAN
PaliHi President, A Sense of Home
When young people age out of the foster youth system, they often enter the adult world with little financial assistance. When they are able to find a home or apartment, it is not uncommon for these young adults to have difficulty obtaining the necessary furniture and housewares.
Four years ago, I had my first experience working with the Los Angeles nonprofit, A Sense of Home (ASOH). I collected items for a home and my dad, Matt Rodman, and I volunteered to set it up on move-in day.
Members of the Palisades community generously donated dozens of items toward this effort and I was able to work directly with the committed ASOH team, many of whom were former foster youths who themselves had benefited from an ASOH home installation.

A former foster child is thrilled with the furnishings in her new apartment.
I also was able to work with ASOH’s founder and CEO, Georgie Smith, an amazing interior designer who has made every home special for its recipient. Happily, ASOH has grown to serve many more young people each year (they have created over 600 homes to date) but doing so quickly has required a much greater need for and reliance on cash donations.
We, the ASOH – Pali High Chapter, are working to raise $6,000 for ASOH by this fall to purchase furniture, appliances and housewares to fill a home. Assuming that Covid conditions allow it, our club also plans to do the move-in and set-up for the home we fund.
Having spent that day four years ago with the young women whose home we set-up, I saw for the first time how incredibly challenging life is for foster youth and how important it is to support them as they transition into adulthood.
Donations to our club will go directly to setting up a new home for the next young adult, and possibly their children or siblings, who need our help to make their new space truly feel like home. In this pandemic, it has been far more challenging to fund and set-up these homes that have benefited young adults across Los Angeles.
With your help, we can make all the difference in helping a former foster youth in starting their adult life on the right foot, giving them safety and security during this challenging time.
Also, if you donate through our club, you will receive an email with a tax receipt from ASOH for your kind donation. So please, if you can, donate to our cause and give young adults in need a new sense of home. Thank you.
To donate, visit: https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/a-sense-of-home-at-pali-high

A Sense of Home works to provide furnishings for foster teens moving into their own apartments.
FABULOUS!! Good for these kids who need just a little help and support to get on with their adult lives….Thank you Max for bringing this to our attention. GOOD LUCK!!
I believe the PACIFIC PALISADES OPTIMIST CLUB has a school they support and help the students to transition out when that time comes. Another good local organization, doing good and needing support from all of us.