It started with a pair of headphones.<\/p>\n
In 2013, Paul Avila spotted a blind man on Skid Row wearing headphones and bobbing his head to the music with a big smile on his face, and it reminded Avila of his son, who was born blind with nonverbal autism. <\/p>\n
Avila\u2019s son, Pauly, also loved music. <\/p>\n
\u201cMusic is a universal language,\u201d Avila reasoned, according to his family. \u201cIt really calms you down and puts you into a different state.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Avila got home, the man on Skid Row was still on his mind. He became determined to unlock the soothing power of music for others, and took the first steps to building Pauly\u2019s Project \u2014 a nonprofit that distributes headphones and radios in Skid Row.<\/p>\n
After more than a decade of work, Avila died July 1 at the age of 48. In the months since, those closest to him have been working to continue his legacy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Photos and accolades from Paul Avila\u2019s life decorate the Pauly\u2019s Project office.<\/p>\n
(Juliana Yamada \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n
\u201cPaul worked so hard and we\u2019re just going to continue and keep it going,\u201d said his older sister, Linda Sideri, who serves as the organization\u2019s treasurer and is on its board.<\/p>\n
When Avila first started Pauly\u2019s Project, his son would occasionally help him distribute headphones and radios, a few dozen at a time, to Skid Row\u2019s homeless. But according to his other older sister, Catherine Butler, the organization now serves around 20,000 people annually on Skid Row, providing food, outreach services and workplace mentoring and development along with their regular music accessories.<\/p>\n
Butler, who has worked as executive director of Pauly\u2019s Project since Avila started the nonprofit, said that it felt worse telling Skid Row residents about Avila\u2019s passing than members of his own family.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was their family,\u201d Butler said. \u201cRemember that for these people, no one looks at them, no one acknowledges their existence … Every time we went out for outreach, he would say, \u2018OK guys, we\u2019re in their neighborhood. Acknowledge them, say hello, touch them, just talk to them like a person.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Over the years, Pauly\u2019s Project has become an integral part of the network of organizations serving Los Angeles\u2019 homeless population. During the wildfires earlier this year, Pauly\u2019s Project helped collect donations for displaced people and families in L.A. whose homes had burned down.<\/p>\n
In the winter, Avila himself would go out into the pouring rain<\/a> to hand out clothing, gloves and other warm weather supplies to Skid Row\u2019s residents. News of his death was met with grief online.<\/p>\n \u201cI am heartbroken to hear my good friend … Paul Avila has passed away,\u201d actor Danny Trejo wrote on Instagram<\/a> on July 2. \u201cMay you rest in peace. God bless the Avila family.\u201d <\/p>\n Paul Avila\u2019s niece Isabella Sideri and his sisters Linda Sideri, Laura Garcia, and Catherine Butler stand for a portrait at the Pauly\u2019s Project office on Sept. 23 in Covina.<\/p>\n (Juliana Yamada \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n