Choice Group, Inc

The inspiring story of Choice Group begins with its founder, Dana Hammond, a Los Angeles native and former foster child. The statistics say that an overwhelming majority of foster children battle drug abuse, homelessness, and incarceration as adults. Dana’s childhood exposed him to these same elements, but he knew what he was up against. In the City of Los Angeles, funding for music and art programs have been cut from the public school system for years. Yet, the statistics say that music and arts are essential to youth development and critical as an educational component. In fact, it was music specifically that gave Dana an outlet and ultimately saved his life. Dana pursued music at every turn, learning everything he could from anyone that would take the time to teach. Banging on pots and pans at home turned into a paid gig on the drums at church, which soon took him overseas, and eventually led him to pursue a degree and, eventually, a career in music. Knowing that it was just a series of simple choices over the years that kept him from being a statistic, he realized that it was all a matter of exposure to new and exciting things that kept him focused and on the right track. The ability to choose a positive journey was empowering and it reshaped Dana’s perspective on life’s obstacles. By 2006, he had founded this organization with the mission of providing music and art programs as recreational, educational and life-enhancing opportunities to the at-risk and foster youth in Los Angeles living the life he once knew. With a new and modern approach, this non-profit organization now provides music/art as a creative outlet, explores music/art as layered industries, and exposes a world of opportunity to those that choose to embrace it.