We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend Jacqueline Avant, a stalwart supporter of children and the Watts-Willowbrook community. In support of Jacqueline's important philanthropic work, the family wishes to have donations made in her honor to the Jacqueline Avant Memorial Fund for the new Jacqueline Avant Children and Family Center (formerly the MLK Child and Family Well-being Center).
Official Name Unveiling & Dedication Ceremony – County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell Press Release
A Beloved Philanthropist’s Legacy – People
Avant’s Legacy Will Live On In Watts – Beverly Hills Courier
The MLK Health and Wellness CDC was established in 2016 with the mission to support the revitalization of underutilized buildings and healthcare service expansion efforts at the 42-acre MLK Medical Campus that serves the medically underserved communities in South Los Angeles. The Campus is home to the recently opened Jacqueline Avant Children and Family Center, the MLK Behavioral Health Center, the MLK Outpatient Center, and the award-winning Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital. The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and the King Drew Magnet High School is also located on the Campus.
Since 2019, MLK-CDC has worked with LA County on the construction and opening of the Jacqueline Avant Children and Family Center (“the Center”). In December 2022, the MLK Pediatric Clinic HUB moved into the newly constructed three-story, 50,000 sq. ft. building. The Clinic annually serves over 4,000 children and teens in the County’s foster care system. For over 40 years, the Clinic had been housed in 50-year-old dilapidated trailers. The new space more than doubles its former size and allows for substantial expansion of its outpatient clinical services. The building will also house the Autism Wellness Center and the St. John Well Child Center.
MLK-CDC was a strong supporter of the adaptive reuse of the former King-Drew hospital (500,000 sq. ft.) that was closed in 2007. The former hospital has been completely renovated at a cost of more than $350 million invested by LA County and re-opened in early 2022 as the MLK Behavioral Health Center (“the BHC”). The BHC serves as a national model for community-based comprehensive programs that address the complex needs of individuals struggling with mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness. The BHC delivers treatment, rehabilitative, vocational, and training opportunities intended to provide clients with the skills needed to reintegrate into the community.
MLK-CDC has facilitated several grants for the MLK Outpatient Center which serves over 200,000 patient visits per year. The Center has 70 clinical services including an urgent care center that operates seven days a week. The MLK-OPC medical staff worked around the clock during the pandemic and administered over 20,000 Covid vaccines in 2022. It has expanded its cancer prevention initiatives with education and wellness outreach to vulnerable populations.
“The new MLK Child & Family Wellbeing Center (renamed the Jacqueline Avant Children and Family Center) will bring hope, healing, and a full spectrum of top-notch health and mental health services to the children and families of South Los Angeles. This health asset is especially needed for residents who have experienced trauma, are at risk of abuse or neglect, or have learning disabilities.”
— Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair, Holly J. Mitchell, Supervisor for the Second District