3/25 Grand Opening Will Celebrate New Health and Wellness Center at Hawthorne’s Zela Davis School
HAWTHORNE, CA – (March 16, 2026) – Venice Family Clinic and the Hawthorne School District (HSD) today announced the opening of the new HSD Health and Wellness Center at Zela Davis School, expanding their partnership to increase access to medical care, mental health care and other health and wellness services for the Hawthorne community.
The HSD Health and Wellness Center at Zela Davis School will support the well-being of the school’s 6,900 students, their families and staff, as well as residents throughout Hawthorne. Venice Family Clinic, a nonprofit community health center providing health care to 45,000 people in need from the Westside of Los Angeles, Inglewood, the South Bay and everywhere in between, will have clinicians and staff at the health center two afternoons a week to provide vaccinations (required for K-12 school participation), physicals and other medical care, as well as mental health care for children, teens and adults.
To celebrate the Center’s opening, HSD and Venice Family Clinic will host a grand opening and community celebration from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25 at the Zela Davis School at 13435 S. Yukon Ave., Hawthorne, CA 90250. Hawthorne School District students, families and community members are invited to attend. The event will feature children’s activities, music, snacks, tours of the health center and a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring leaders from the school district, local community and Venice Family Clinic. Representatives from Venice Family Clinic’s health insurance enrollment team, Early Head Start, health education and behavioral health will be available to answer questions and speak to media.
“Schools are at the center of the communities we serve, and bringing our high-quality care directly to campuses makes it easier for students and families to get the support they need to stay healthy and excel academically,” said Dr. Mitesh Popat, Venice Family Clinic CEO. “Together with the Hawthorne School District, we are working to break down barriers and ensure that access to health care never limits children from succeeding in school – or families from supporting their community.”
The new HSD Health and Wellness Center at Zela Davis School is the second school-based clinic operated through the ongoing partnership between HSD and Venice Family Clinic. The organizations first collaborated to open the Maxine Waters Health and Dignity Center at York Elementary School in 2024. Venice Family Clinic also provides medical and mental health care at other schools in its service area at Culver City Middle and High Schools, Santa Monica High School and Carson High School
In 2023, the California Community Schools Partnership Program provided a $14.25 million grant to the Hawthorne School District to partner with community organizations, like Venice Family Clinic, and establish programs to address mental and physical health, well-being, basic needs, family engagement, college and career readiness and behavior and enrichment interventions and support.
“This new center represents another important investment in the health and well-being of our students, families and community,” said Dr. Brian Markarian, Superintendent of Hawthorne School District. “We are excited to continue expanding access to care through our partnership with Venice Family Clinic and to provide another welcoming space where our community can receive support and services.”
For more information, please visit https://www.hawthornesd.org/parent-community/healthcenters.
About Venice Family Clinic
Venice Family Clinic is a nonprofit community health center that is a leader in providing comprehensive, high-quality health care to more than 45,000 people in need annually, regardless of their income, insurance or immigration status. The Clinic serves an area that spans the Westside of Los Angeles, Inglewood, the South Bay and everywhere in between. It has a network of clinic locations and Early Head Start centers in Venice, Santa Monica, Mar Vista, Inglewood, Culver City, Redondo Beach, Carson, Gardena, Torrance and Hawthorne, plus mobile clinics and an expansive street medicine program to reach people experiencing homelessness. The Clinic’s comprehensive care also includes mental health services, dental care, vision services, substance use treatment, prescription medications, domestic violence counseling, HIV services, healthy food distributions, health education, health insurance enrollment, child development services and more. For more information, please visit VeniceFamilyClinic.org and follow on Facebook, X and Instagram.
About Hawthorne School District
Hawthorne School District is dedicated to educational excellence and the continuous academic growth of all students. Located in Southern California’s Los Angeles basin, minutes from the Los Angeles International Airport, the Hawthorne School District educates over 7,000 pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the diverse urban community of Hawthorne. Founded in 1907, the District is proud of its long tradition of academic excellence. There are currently seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and a charter high school in the District. The District’s high school, Hawthorne Mathematics and Science Academy, opened in the 2003-04 school year and offers a rigorous, college-preparatory program. Students from Hawthorne School District not attending the charter high school attend high schools in the Centinela Valley Union High School District.