“Brothers Helping Others” was formed by two brothers, Jake Luterman, 24, and Ben Luterman, 21, from Calabasas, California in January 2014. Their goal is to give back to those in need. Created as a fundraising organization, “Brothers Helping Others” brings people together through fundraisers and helping throughout their community. Jake and Ben work with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles' Rehabilitation Unit. Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) provides state of the art pediatric care to more than 104,000 children each year. Jake and Ben became Junior Ambassadors to CHLA in March of 2014. In addition to CHLA, Jake and Ben are proud to support the Ronald McDonald House in Los Angeles and Westhills Baseball Champions League.

 

Jake’s love for helping children has always been a part of him. For Jake’s Bar Mitzvah project when he turned 13, he decided he wanted to collect new books for the Literally Healing Program at CHLA. He was able to collect over 200 books that provided enjoyment for the young patients calling CHLA their temporary home. Literally Healing is a dedicated therapeutic library with more than 1,000 specially selected books designed to help children build mastery, courage and hope during their stay at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Another component of the program uses books as gifts for patients to provide them with a source of distraction during their recovery.

 

Jake and Ben have been very involved with Westhills Baseball Champions, a baseball league for young people with special needs. Whether a child has Autism or Down Syndrome, regardless of severity, all are welcome. 100 volunteers or “buddies” attend weekly practices with the players. Jake and Ben have been a part of Westhills Baseball Champions since it’s inception 8 years ago and have forged close bonds with many of the players. It’s been a life-changing experience for the boys to share their love of baseball with the kids that normally don’t get a chance to play. The players learned so much from Jake and Ben but Jake and Ben learned so much from the players about compassion and inclusion. It was great to see how much the brothers and the players have grown together over the years. Their friendships are stronger than ever. Jake graduated in May 2021 from the University of Maryland, College Park with a BA in Communications. Ben is a Senior attending the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in Finance and Business Analytics.  He will graduate in May 2023. Jake and Ben remain committed to keeping in touch with the players as the next phase of their lives has begun. Please visit our photo gallery to see the wonderful moments experienced through this very special organization.

 

In January of 2014, Ben decided that he wanted to create “Bracelets for a Cause” for his Bar Mitzvah project. Jake and Ben thought it would be fun to make and sell Rainbow Loom rubber bracelets with their friends and community in order to raise much-needed funds. Bracelets cost $2 and 100% of the money raised went to this unit. With the help from friends and family, the brothers raised over $1,800. 

 

In addition, Ben enjoyed PLAYING IT FORWARD at his Bar Mitzvah where the theme was “IT’S BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE.” Guests played games where the prizes were hats being donated to patients at CHLA. We are proud to say 75 hats with individualized inspirational notes and get well cards were created from Ben’s special evening. 

 

Jake and Ben also raised an additional $2,200 that helped bring a mobile playroom to the bedside of the children in the Rehabilitation Center. The Oscar Litwak Foundation creates carts for kids who are too sick or too weak to go to the playroom. The mobile playroom will assure that all kids get to play with toys that they are able to keep, even if they can't leave their room. The boys are also responsible for restocking the cart with new toys every few years. 

 

On February 16, 2015 Jake and Ben presented CHLA with the hats and get well cards that were created from PLAYING IT FORWARD, their first mobile playroom and a check for funds raised. Brothers Helping Others is proud to be able to support CHLA and help children in the Rehabilitation Unit. Please visit our Photo Gallery for images from this event.

 

On December 13, 2015 Jake and Ben visited the Ronald McDonald House in Los Angeles and provided dinner and dessert to families during the holidays. Thank you to Fresh Brothers Pizza for the yummy pizza & salad and thank you Calabasas Cake & Cookie Company for the decadent cookies. Many friends were made and laughs were shared. 

 

On November 11, 2016 Jake and Ben visited CHLA to donate 100 books to  Literally Healing and toys to refill their mobile playcart.  They met with Kyle Horn from Literally Healing and Adam Herro, Child Life Specialist in the Rehabilitation Unit.  Please visit our Photo Gallery to view images from their visit.

 

Every little bit will make a huge difference in the lives of so many.

The inpatient acute rehabilitation unit at CHLA cares for medically complex children from all over the country. With us, they have hope. Their current 30-bed unit is one of the largest of its kind in California, helping complex patients recover from a wide scope of injury and disease. With guidance from certified rehabilitation registered nurses, this specialized unit is equipped to give patients a variety of treatments, ranging from chemotherapy to most intravenous medications and the management of central lines and feeding tubes. 

 

Proud we were featured in Westlake Magazine Holiday 2017  Special Section “Art & Philanthropy – Teens Making a Difference.”