This is a case study of the TRY Foundation, a privately funded non-profit corporation devoting its resources to "community and human development in disadvantaged areas." Activities sponsored by its primate unit, the Willowbrook Chapter of Watts, Los Angeles, include: thrift shop, preventive dentistry clinic, Operation Vegetable Basket--which distributes surplus bread and vegetables to needy families, the Community Gap club--a club of girls aged nine to thirteen who disseminate community services information over a "hotline," Boy Scouts, tutoring, the Beautiful People--a high school sorority, Recreation Center, the twenty-niners (a group of local women who spend time assisting various TRY projects), Senior Citizens program, Auto Mechanics and Body Shop, Temporary home for Girls, and the Medical Center and Pharmacy. The Foundation was established in 1969 as an expansion of a previously-existing community problems discussion group. TRY's budget for fiscal 1970 was about $90,000; about half of this was used to purchase real estate at the Willowbrook Chapter enclave. TRY's human development objectives include the inculcation of certain values--Protestant Ethic, orthodox religious tenants, and middle-class life style--which are considered preliminary to economic improvement; other programs consider values as a by-product of economic development. (Author/JM)