Aaron Valencia is the Executive Director and Founder of the Lost Angels Children’s Project (LACP). Aaron is a custom classic car builder who creates amazing, award-winning cars. He also has a passion for helping youth which stems from his own difficulties growing up and experiences with drugs and jail. After turning his life around, he pursued a passion for classic cars and started his own custom car restoration business. Prior to starting LACP, Aaron volunteered at Grace Resources as a Hot Meal Leader for several years. Then he came up with an idea to help disadvantaged youth by teaching them how to work on classic cars. 

 

In 2014 Aaron founded LACP as an afterschool program to engage at-risk youth through mentorship and skills training in classic car restoration. Each year, Aaron and his students built a different sweepstakes vehicle for the Ventura Nationals Car and Motorcycle Show to help sustain the program. LACP eventually moved into a new building and now includes a t-shirt silk screening social enterprise, and a work program for transition-age youth. For his efforts, Aaron won the CNN Hero award and has been featured on the Jay Leno Show, Miller's “We Build," Tekton Tools’ “Find What’s Real," and Lowrider Magazine’s "Roll Models." 

 

Aaron’s goal is to provide young people with the tools they need to succeed and help open doors and opportunities that improve their quality of life. He thrives on teaching and empowering youth in our community to rise above their circumstances