Why Not Start With OUR Hood ?
Meet Summer Phillips, Founder of Save the Hood First
Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Summer Phillips comes from a family built on service, including three generations of educators. She grew up watching her people share food, clothing, and sometimes their last few dollars with someone trying to get back on their feet. Early on, she learned that taking care of your community doesn’t require a title or a big budget. It just requires showing up.
Where It All Began
In 2016, Summer celebrated her birthday a little differently.
Most outreach at the time was focused on Skid Row, an infamous spot where our houseless neighbors reside in Los Angeles, while whole neighborhoods across South Central were being overlooked. Working families. Folks navigating housing and food insecurity. The people outside the corner store, the ones washing cars for a few dollars. Their struggles weren’t always visible, but they were real.
And they were her people.
So she organized her first birthday giveback: 50 care packages filled with first aid supplies, undergarments, blankets, hot chocolate, and oatmeal. That giveback became Created by Summer, which grew into Save the Hood First.
The Resource Lady
Summer has spent over a decade in social services, from continuation education and residential services to community wellness and parent advocacy. Every role taught her how systems work, where they fall short, and how to help people get what they deserve.
Through it all, one thing never changed: Summer was always the resource lady. The one who knew somebody, made the call, and found the connection.
“I’ve done a little bit of everything, and nine times out of ten, if I don’t know the answer, I know somebody who does.”
She also brings community voices into professional spaces, speaking to graduate students at an Ivy League University and leading trainings on cultural humility for mental health clinician interns at different organizations. She knows what it’s like to sit on both sides of the table.
Ten Years Later
Now based in the Bay Area, Summer is bringing more structure to the mission through five pillars:
- Community Activation: Pop-ups, gatherings, and creative activations that build pride on the block.
- Community Education: Making information and resources easy for everyday people to get to.
- Leadership Development: Investing in youth, parents, and volunteers whose leadership doesn’t always come with a title.
- Community Care: Resource navigation, wellness events, healing circles, and crisis toolkits.
- Storytelling & Advocacy: Summer Sessions on Substack, youth storytelling, and annual impact reports that lift up community voices.
Community First, Always.
STHF was never meant to show up only when there’s a grant or a photo op. It was built to be wherever community lives: the corner store, the cookout, the school, the resource fair.
Our communities aren’t lacking potential. They’re lacking access, investment, and opportunity.
It started with 50 bags and a birthday wish. Ten years later, the belief is the same.
Community first, always.