Westside Regional Center moved its headquarters to El Segundo after 38 years in Culver City, marking the shift with a grand opening celebration on Sunday, Aug. 30.

The nonprofit, which serves nearly 8,000 people with developmental disabilities across West Los Angeles communities stretching from Gardena to Malibu, held the event from noon to 3 p.m. with facility tours, entertainment, games and refreshments, Herald Publications reported.

WRC Board of Directors President Almarietha Mathews told the crowd she was "thrilled and overjoyed" by the turnout. She said she hoped the new building's accessibility and added staff would help the center serve its community better.

Terry Magady, vice president of the WRC board, spoke about his daughter, who has Down syndrome and has been a WRC client her entire life. She married a man who also has Down syndrome, and the couple has relied on WRC services throughout their 12-year marriage. Magady introduced the event's keynote guest, 17-year-old actress and advocate Sofia Sanchez.

"Like so many parents, we were searching for one thing — Hope," Magady said. "We were looking for role models to help us imagine a future we couldn't see yet."

Sanchez, a Ukrainian American actress who appeared in "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes," has written three Scholastic books, including "You are Enough" and "You are Loved." She first gained attention for her viral video "Down Syndrome is Not Scary." At the grand opening, Sanchez read passages from one of her books and signed free copies for attendees.

The room was packed.

Lawndale Mayor Pro Tem Sirley Cuevas joined the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Drew Boyles, a former El Segundo mayor, and actor Subodh Garg, who appeared in the 2025 production of "It's A Wonderful Life." Cuevas said she welcomed WRC to the South Bay and called for equal treatment of people with disabilities.

WRC contracts with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and provides services at no cost to clients. The new El Segundo facility replaces the organization's longtime Culver City location.

Sanchez closed her appearance by signing books one by one for families lined up across the room.