Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles Awards $150,000 to Six Local Organizations for Programs Assisting the Homeless

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 29, 2014)—The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) today announced that it has granted $150,000 to six local organizations to provide permanent supportive housing to homeless individuals and families in Los Angeles.
The awards of $25,000 each were made through the annual General Community Grants initiative at The Foundation, the largest manager of charitable assets and the leader in planned-giving solutions for greater Los Angeles Jewish philanthropists. The General Community Grants program supports initiatives of concern in Los Angeles and identifies opportunities to target grantmaking dollars to be most impactful.

This year, to leverage funding for a greater impact, The Foundation partnered with Home For Good, an initiative of United Way of Greater Los Angeles and the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce, through its funding collaborative, a public/private funding partnership of nearly 30 funders leveraging funds to invest in solutions to address homelessness.
To date in 2014, The Foundation’s family of donors has directed an additional approximately $300,000 from their own charitable funds at the institution to support local programs addressing homelessness.
Recipient organizations of The Foundation’s latest General Community Grants awards include: Downtown Women’s Center; Emotional Health Association (dba SHARE!); L.A. Family Housing; Ocean Park Community Center; People Assisting the Homeless (PATH); and Single Room Occupancy Housing Corp. (SRO Housing). The permanent supportive housing initiatives—which will assist women, veterans, individuals with health and mental-illness challenges, among others—cover Greater Los Angeles, including areas spanning from the South Bay to the San Fernando Valley, from East Los Angeles to West Los Angeles, as well as Downtown Los Angeles, according to The Foundation.
President and Chief Executive Officer Marvin I. Schotland stated: “Homelessness remains one of our society’s most critical issues, with the problem no less acute locally. According to statistics from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, nearly 60,000 people in Los Angeles were homeless in 2013, with only about one in four of those having access to any shelter whatsoever. Housing is pivotal in helping individuals surmount other challenges—including improving health and finding jobs—and to put their lives back on track. The organizations receiving funding are well established and have admirable track records of achievement in addressing housing and homelessness. The Foundation is proud to provide financial support for these worthy programs.”
Recipient organizations and their programs include:
• Downtown Women’s Center, Outreach and Housing Placement Program—To place 40 chronically homeless women from throughout Los Angeles in permanent, supportive housing in its facility and in units at partner organizations through participation in the Skid Row Coordinated Entry System.
• Emotional Health Association (dba SHARE!), Collaborative Housing Program—To match 35 chronically homeless individuals from throughout Los Angeles with affordable housing placements where they can benefit from a community of residents with similar challenges.
• L.A. Family Housing, Outreach Staff Member—To assess the needs of 400 chronically homeless individuals and place 229 people in permanent supportive housing in the San Fernando Valley.
• Ocean Park Community Center, Access Center—To enable daily engagement focused on helping about 200 homeless and chronically homeless to secure housing and attain self-sufficiency in West Los Angeles.
• People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), Outreach Navigator and Move-In Assistance Program—To assess and place 150 chronically homeless individuals from throughout Los Angeles in permanent housing, using the organization’s collaborative model of engagement with homeless coalitions, social service agencies, faith-based groups, landlords and political leaders.
• Single Room Occupancy Housing Corp., Supportive Housing Move-In Assistance Program—To identify 75 homeless and chronically homeless veterans, designate appropriate permanent housing units and fund move-in costs for homeless in Downtown Los Angeles.
About The Foundation
Established in 1954, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) is the largest manager of charitable assets and the leader in planned-giving solutions for Greater Los Angeles Jewish philanthropists. The Foundation currently manages assets of more than $900 million and ranks among the 11 largest Los Angeles foundations. In 2013, The Foundation and its donors distributed $65 million in grants to more than a thousand organizations with programs that span the range of philanthropic giving. For more information, visit www.jewishfoundationla.org.