Meet La Taunya Green | CEO and Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with La Taunya Green and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi La Taunya, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My business started 18 years ago, I was on a family vacation in Paris and while sightseeing on a fiery traveling through a canal I noticed homeless people sleeping on the concrete platform that separated the water from the walls. The images of those people never left my head. Several years later I started having unfamiliar encounters with homeless people, while exiting the freeway I saw a teenage girl with a sign and thought where her purse or backpack was, she had nothing. I exited the freeway and began to look for a store to purchase items to give to her. I brought toiletry and feminine hygiene products, placed them in a bag, drove back to give them to her and she was gone. I kept the bag in my car with hopes of seeing her again but never did. The bag stayed in my car, and I was able to give it to another homeless person. In 2013, a mother and child appeared in my office one day needing assistance with filing a complaint against a shelter they were staying in that was treating them poorly. I immediately started thinking of ways to help them, I gave her money for food and medicine for her son and a couple of hygiene kits my co-worker had in her car. A few months later that woman and her son returned to thank me for helping them. She told me I was a blessing to them and that there should be more people like me in the world. At church one Sunday a visiting pastor was speaking about discovering and living in your purpose, it was then I realized my passion and love for people in need. Therefore, immediately after church I went to Dollar Tree and purchased fifty items. I brought the necessary toiletry items for men and women, placed the items in large individual zip lock bags and kept them in my car for when I saw a homeless person, I could give it to them. The thought process behind starting my business was from the feeling and response I received after giving someone a kit. I am a blessing to someone who doesn’t even know me. An Unfamiliar Blessing! Unfamiliar Blessings Inc is a non-profit geared towards providing specialized survival necessity kits to our Unhoused community, the homeless. UB Inc’s mission and goal is to distribute necessity kits all over the world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Before there was La Taunya Green, CEO and Founder of Unfamiliar Blessings Inc. there was La Taunya Green Court Services Supervisor for the Los Angeles Superior Courts. I started my career with the courts as a Student Worker in 1991. I was 19 years old and at that time I wanted to be an Actor, Model or Physical Therapist. Over the years I took exams to promote and have been a supervisor for 17 years. As a supervisor the one thing that sets me apart from other supervisors, the fact that I greet each one of my staff members by name every day. On my second day as supervisor, I started greeting my staff individually by name and I have never stopped doing it.

As a supervisor I am most proud of the opportunity to bless people with jobs and coach them into being great workers so that they can be promoted.

I am also most proud of having the opportunity to purchase a home at the age of 39 and starting my non-profit.

The one challenge I faced when becoming a supervisor was supervising my co-workers/work friends. This made my position exceedingly difficult because of the lack of respect for my position but with a lot of prayer I have overcome the challenges.

I want the world to know that everything I have accomplished has not been easy, I have worked so hard to get where I am in my career with the Los Angeles Superior Courts, There has been a lot of therapy appointments, tears and laughter but it’s worth every penny. In addition, I want the world to know that Unfamiliar Blessings Inc has started a movement, it’s called the UB Movement, #5000kits2024. Ask me how you can be a part of the UB Movement! My prayer is to distribute UB Inc’s specialized survival necessity kits all over the world, My first stop will be Paris!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my bestie was flying in from New York, our first stop will be to grab a bit to eat at the Kettle in Manhattan Beach because it stays open 24 hours, the beach is a block away and the food is good! Second, we would plan a quick 2 day getaway to Palm Springs for some sun tanning and outlet shopping. Third, we would hangout at Fashion Island, we can shop more, eat and drink for several hours. Forth, we would have my parents meet us for brunch at Pips on La Brea. Fifth, we would either go a pasta making class or mixology class, I’d let her select. Sixth, we would take a train to Santa Barbara and go wine tasting make it a 2 day trip.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to say thank you to my family, friends, board members, and businesses who have supported Unfamiliar Blessings Inc, if you have given your time, made monetary or in-kind donations words cannot express how grateful, thankful and blessed I am for your love and kindness.

Website: www.unfamiliarblessings.org

Instagram: Laatgreen

Facebook: La Taunya Green