Starlight Serenade Benefit Concert,

Lydia Floyd

LYDIA FLOYD

Founder/Executive Director

 HANDS FOR HOPE aka Hands4Hope LA

Hands for Hope founder, Lydia Floyd, has set out on a mission to see that all children are cared for, supported, encouraged and nurtured. Especially for single parents, it takes a village to raise a child. Lydia has created a new kind of community based program, beginning in the San Fernando Valley, hoping to ultimately raise awareness nationwide.

Single mothers have little or no resources in times of emergencies. It became crystal clear to Lydia that there needed to be somewhere for single parents to turn to for assistance, as they have the monumental task of raising children alone. Lydia magnified her interest in single parents and youth, beginning in her community, with the official launch of Hands for Hope in March 2000. Hands for Hope  is currently located at First Baptist Church of North Hollywood.

Hands4Hope LA provides support to at-risk youth ages 8 to 18 from low-income, predominantly minority households to improve their quality through free S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) based after-school programs, low-cost Academic Summer Camp., and semi-annual single parent resource fairs.

Ms. Floyd has received the following awards:

< > The Avery Denison Great Results Achievement Award for her work in the community. She was one of ten chosen from over a thousand people across the nation to receive this prestigious honor.  

< > The Bank of America Neighborhood Local Hero Award.  

< > Woman’s Day magazine chose her as one four top honorees Awarded the “Model of Hope Award” by We Care America Chosen as one of three Champions of Hope at the Legacy of Hope awardsLydia Floyd, Wife and Mother of two, has attended First Baptist Church of North Hollywood (FBCNH) since 1991. As an active member she has served in many roles at the church including Finance Committee member, Choir Director to the elementary school children, Co-Founder of the women’s group Ruth Circle. Currently she is Deacon of Finance - Chair of the Finance Committee and Founder/Director of the Teen Choir  “All In”. She was also recently selected to join the board of American Baptist Churches of LA (ABCLA) and currently serves as Treasurer.

Lydia is one of four children from a single parent household in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother had Epilepsy but helped single parents with their children and raised over 20 foster children herself. This is where Lydia received her calling to follow in her mother’s footsteps. She moved to Southern California in 1991 to assist her husband, Stafford, a Sound Engineer, Musician and Choir Director at FBCNH. She worked as an Accountant / Computer Specialist until she founded the organization Hands for Hope aka Hands4Hope LA.  Her son Jason, serves as Youth Pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church while working as a Sound Engineer and attending Fuller University, His wife Trisha is a preschool teacher. Her Daughter Aja, works as an intern Fashion Stylist but because of her love for working with children with her mother for many years at Hands4Hope LA she is also a counselor at STAR after school program and a part time nanny.

Lydia believes in Prevention so Intervention will not be necessary and her work at Hands4Hope LA and FBCNH proves this method works. She is an advocate for families and our community.