• 
• 
  • Mission
  • History
  • Who We Serve
  • Board
  • Donors and Friends
  • Partners
• 
  • Overview
  • Our Instructors
    • Dawn Mendelson
    • Luz Mack-Durini
    • Leigh Adams
    • Ivan Jimenez
    • Bea Jones
  • Visiting Artists
    • Hanoch Piven
    • Aida Valencia
    • Matt Doolin
    • Lillian Sizemore
    • Kelley Knickerbocker
    • Beth Barror
    • Betty Rosen Ziff
    • Laurie Mika
    • Karen Silton
    • Janet Nordinger
    • Sherri Warner Hunter
    • Kim Emerson
  • Workshops
  • Community Outreach
• 
  • Upcoming
  • Past Events
• 
  • Clients
  • Our Artists: Notes from the Heart
• 
  • Donate Now
  • In Kind Donation
  • Volunteer
  • Host an Event
  • Make Your Next Event Meaningful
• 
  • Flickr Galleries
• 
  • Public Art
  • Centerpieces & Favors
  • Awards & Plaques for Honorees
  • Murals & Wall Art
• 
• 
• 
• 
  • Subscribe

The genesis of Piece by Piece was an inspirational trip to South Africa. After visiting several micro-enterprise agencies abroad and recognizing a need in our own communities, Founder Sophie Alpert decided to replicate the South African model with a program which would empower participants to help themselves with a "hand up," rather than a "hand out."

In 2007, Piece by Piece launched their first mosaic workshops in South Los Angeles in an effort to address the urban poverty in Los Angeles. What began as a program to help the underserved residents of Los Angeles earn some much needed supplementary income became a much greater "piece" for participants trying to put together the broken pieces of their own lives.

With an emphasis on using recycled material, mosaics were chosen because of their accessibility. Broken tile, glass, china and found objects are used to create incredible works of art. The caliber of talent and artistic quality that has emerged is a testament to the professional artists that facilitate our workshops. Ongoing requests for commissions, including public art, continue to provide more opportunities for the disadvantaged population we serve.

Today, Piece by Piece has additional workshops in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles and the Arts District, adjacent to Skid Row. From its inception, partnerships and strategic alliances have been a vital part of Piece by Piece's vision. We continue to work with community organizations willing to share resources and supportive social services.