GIVE Los Angeles 2018

FUELED BY COMPASSION:

THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE L.A. THE CITY OF ANGELS

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Contents 3 | GIVING IN LOS ANGELES

How we donate, by the numbers 4 | BATTLING HOMELESSNESS

Efforts to find solutions are finally taking hold. Here’s a snapshot of where we are 8 | YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND

Animal companions can be lifesavers, but they come with costs. A DTLA clinic helps 10 | KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

The L.A. Conservancy is making sure we don’t lose our historic buildings 12 | HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

The effects of human trafficking are shocking; three groups battle it locally 16 | CONSCIOUS CREATORS

Female designers explore the intersection of style and philanthropy 18 | ART WITH HEART

Culture makes L.A. a better place. Two local women help keep it accessible 20 | GIVING TO THE GREATER GOOD

A foundation invests in understanding.

Plus, an expert matches causes and people

W

22 | PARTNERS IN CARE

CASA brings adult advocates to foster kids E T H E PE OPLE of Los Angeles are a generous

bunch. A recent analysis showed that each year residents of our metro area donate an average of almost 3 percent of our income to worthy causes such as foster kids, education, and ending homelessness and hunger. A whopping $9.8 billion total. It’s a city of active philanthropists. This issue—our third GIVE Los Angeles—celebrates the diversity of laudable acts, from a program that matches kids in foster care with one-on-one advocates who stick by them till they reach adulthood to three local organizations taking on the horrendous plight of human trafficking. What emerges is clear: Incredible people are instrumental in achieving incredible results and, in turn, inspiring benefactors who can lend generous help, such as Steven Spielberg and his Righteous Persons Foundation.

We think you’ll also be inspired and moved to join in. To help you with that, we’ve included calls to action that make it easy to get involved. And our online GIVE Los Angeles Challenge is a super-efficient way as well: We’re partnering with Funraise to help L.A.based nonprofits get the support they need. The nonprofits that raise more than $75,000 through the challenge will split an additional $30,000 from Los Angeles magazine and our partners.

Thank you for your support, your energy, and your continued activism on behalf of those who need it.

56 | FAMILY ACTS

Volunteering can teach valuable lessons COVER ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN STAUFFER

Peg Moline EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DESIGN DIRECTOR Steven E. Banks SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Rose DeMaria ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Jordan Williams PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Julia St. Pierre ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mark McGonigle RESEARCH EDITOR Eric Mercado

Josef Vann PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER BRAND DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH MANAGER Jennifer Moran CONTENT STRATEGY & SOLUTIONS DIRECTOR

Mitch Getz INTEGRATED ACCOUNT DIRECTORS

Brittany Brombach, Samantha Greenfield, Mathew Jongsma, Mali Mochow Susan Starling CREATIVE SERVICES ART DIRECTOR

Sheila Ramezani

Josef Vann PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER

2 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

For advertising inquiries, contact Jennifer Moran at: jmoran@lamag.com | 323-801-0020

S P E N C E R LOW E L L

STRATEGY & PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR

» STORY BY ERIC MERCADO » GRAPHIC BY PETER HOEY

GIVING IN LOS ANGELES THERE’S PLENTY OF GENEROSITY IN THE REGION, AND OUR PHILANTHROPY REFLECTS OUR VARIED PERSONAL INTERESTS. TAKE A LOOK AT WHO’S PITCHING IN AND WHERE

FIRST PRIORITIES FOR PHILANTHROPY IN L.A.

THE STATS

80%

L.A. IS HOME TO

2,798 foundations with assets of $65.5 billion

L.A. County residents willing to increase their community involvement

Average online donation

L.A. residents who report they donate to charity

40%

$128

45-64

Age group that donates most

DONATION COMPARISONS

Chicago

L.A. Houston Miami/ Ft. Lauderdale

T

Ending homelessness

17%

Faith/religious community

8%

Public schools

7%

At-risk & foster youth

7%

Environmental protection

6%

Services for people with disabilities

5%

Services for the aging

4%

Arts & music education

4%

Workforce development & job training

3%

Revitalizing high-poverty neighborhoods

3%

Housing

2%

Four-year public colleges & universities

2%

Literacy

2%

Community parks, walkways & gardens

1%

Museums & cultural centers

1%

Assistance for immigrants & new citizens

PHONE IT IN Part of Contrib.

Average income total in donation donated billions

New York

17%

$6,410

2.8%

$20.1

$6,098 2.9%

$9.8

$7,949

3.7%

$5.0

$4,430 2.5%

$4.0

$8,460 3.4%

$4.3

H E C I T Y OF ANGE L S” is a well-earned moniker. We are more generous than nearly any other metropolitan area. The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranks Los Angeles as No. 2 in total contributions (we’re catching up, New Yorkers), a marked increase from three years earlier. Forty percent of Angelenos donate to charitable causes, and our smartphones make giving easier, with online donations nearly doubling from 2014 to 2016. We can parse our munificent inclinations by geography, but let’s not

The percentage of online donations made on a mobile phone is increasing

9%

2014

14%

2015

17%

2016

publicly shame our beachside neighbors—they know who they are. Home to nearly 2,800 charitable foundations with $65.5 billion in assets, L.A. has plenty to give. Our philanthropic priorities may reflect divergent personal interests, from cultural enlightenment to more pragmatic health concerns, but we rise to the occasion by the billions ($9.8 billion per year, at last count). So let’s bask in our benevolence, roll up our sleeves, and recheck our capacity to contribute. As Anne Frank once wrote, “No one has ever become poor by giving.”

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 3

HOMELESSNESS

52,765

NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS OF MAY 2018, DOWN FROM 57,794 IN 2017

>

» STORY BY ZOIE MATTHEW » PHOTOGRAPH BY HUGH KRETSCHMER

BATTLING HOMELESSNESS ON MANY FRONTS

EFFORTS TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THE AREA’S DAUNTING CRISIS ARE FINALLY TAKING HOLD. HERE’S A SNAPSHOT OF THE CURRENT SITUATION

4 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

even if you’re not a pro.

BASIC NEEDS

DOZENS OF L.A. AGENCIES FAN OUT IN TEAMS TO HELP THE HOMELESS. HERE’S WHAT THEY DO AND HOW YOU CAN HELP.

H YG I E N E

> Toilets and showers for the homeless are scarce, and existing ones are closed down repeatedly. Following last year’s hepatitis A outbreak, L.A. opened a Skid Row facility with toilets, showers, and attendants, but more are needed. Nonprofits Lava Mae and the Shower of Hope are working to expand L.A. County’s mobile shower program.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Volunteer at a shower pop-up, or assemble kits with hygiene staples at the People Concern.

H E A LT H CA R E

O U D O N ’ T need us to tell you that L.A. is in the midst of a homelessness crisis—the worst in the region’s history. There have been measures approved, ordinances passed, and battles waged over potential solutions, but you’d be forgiven if you’re having trouble keeping track. The pages that follow can’t possibly tackle the entirety of a topic as complex as this, but they do offer clarity about where your money is going, what steps are being taken, and what you can do.

Y

> Street teams help people enroll in health coverage or connect with physicians; some even include a nurse. “Having nurses on the ground to assess issues is huge,” says Colleen Murphy, L.A. Homeless Services Authority outreach coordinator. Still, of the 831 homeless deaths in L.A. County last year, a significant number involved preventable health problems. MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Volunteer at clinics like Care Harbor and Venice Family Clinic,

FOOD

> Buying food to supplement programs run by churches, shelters, and homeless organizations costs money. Outreach teams help clients sign up for financial aid, including county-funded General Relief. MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Sort goods at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, pass out meals with Food on Foot, or sign up for a serving shift at the Midnight Mission.

C L O T H I NG

> Fresh clothes can be a big help when you’re trying to get a job or housing. Vouchers for thrift stores and free clothing closets are two of the most common ways to help people get garb, says Murphy. To keep those clothes clean, LAMP and the Downtown Women’s Center offer laundry facilities.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Do a load of wash for someone who can’t afford to by volunteering for Laundry Love.

MENTAL HEALTH

> LAHSA estimates that 33 percent of homeless people in the city are mentally ill. Mental health professionals give field assessments and referrals, but space in treatment facilities is finite, and addiction and psychiatric counseling remain in short supply.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

Donate to Pacific Clinics or Homeless Health Care Los Angeles.

GIMME SHELTER

STEPHANIE KLASKYGAMER, CEO OF L.A. FAMILY HOUSING, ADVOCATES FOR THE MOST BASIC NEED OF ALL.

How is L.A. doing in terms of housing?

“Last year we moved 16,000 people out of homelessness. Unfortunately, neither Measure H nor Measure HHH can impact the number of people falling into homelessness, which 14,000 people did last year. We need to ensure that there is housing that’s accessible at every income level.”

What still needs to be done? “Now that we have the resources, we need to be able to find properties and move forward with building housing. Community members are empathetic but not willing to say, ‘Yes, in my backyard.’

We need to come up with solutions located in every neighborhood.”

How can people help?

“Identify properties where we can build housing, and attend local meetings. Somebody can serve a meal or create welcome baskets, but the best way to help is going out in the community and supporting new development. Come take tours of supportive housing and bridge housing so you can be educated.”

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 5

MONEY Nonprofit organizations have long played a central role in helping the region’s homeless. The Home for Good funding collaborative alone has raised almost $40 million since 2012. “It’s nonprofits that are trying to find the housing, negotiating with the landlord, and staying with the individuals to provide them the services they need,” says Ruth Schwartz of the Shelter Partnership. But the crisis has far exceeded the limits of what nonprofits can achieve. So the city and county have finally kicked in with three funding measures.

MEASURE HHH ● WHAT IT IS: A $1.2 billion city bond measure passed in 2016. WHAT IT’S FUNDING: The construction of between 8,000 and 10,000 housing units over the next decade.

Most projects will include access to supportive services like clinics, counseling, drug and alcohol treatment, and job training. WHO’S PAYING FOR IT: Owners of property in the city are taxed $9.64 annually for each $100,000 of assessed value. For the median home value, that’s about $33 per year.

PROGRESS REPORT: It started slowly, but a supportive housing ordinance passed in April cut down on red tape.

“It’s going to make projects go through the permitting process quicker and be less costly to develop,” says Schwartz.

So far, there are at least 26 projects in predevelopment and three under construction, totaling more than 1,900 units. But the measure may still fall short of its goal—the city administrative officer estimated that funds could run dry before 6,000 units are built.

6 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

$38,146

$15,358

THE AVERAGE ANNUAL COST OF PUBLIC SERVICES FOR SOMEONE LIVING ON THE STREET

WHAT THE COST IS REDUCED TO WHEN A PERSON HAS BEEN HOUSED

● WHAT IT IS: A tenyear, quarter-cent sales tax increase approved by county voters last year that’s expected to raise $355 million annually.

WHAT IT’S FUNDING: In large part, stopgap measures such as temporary and crisis housing, rental subsidies for people on the brink of homelessness, and supportive services like health care, job training, and outreach. WHO’S PAYING FOR IT: Anyone who pays sales tax in the county. PROGRESS REPORT: Since July 2017 Measure H revenue has, according to the county, helped more than 20,000 people find temporary or permanent housing and added more than 1,000 new employees to the homeless-services sector. It has also helped launch programs to assist families with rent, utilities, and other expenses. And it’s been used to improve coordination among departments.

“Things are much more streamlined today,” says Schwartz.

MEASURE H

DEVELOPER LINKAGE FEE

● WHAT IT IS: A fee for most new construction in the city. Approved in 2017 by the city council, the ordinance is being phased in. WHAT IT’S FUNDING: The revenue is being funneled into the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and could help build or maintain up to 1,767 affordable housing units per year, depending on how officials decide to spend it. WHO’S PAYING FOR IT: Developers pay up to $18 per square foot of construction, based on the nature of the project and where it’s located (developments that include enough affordable units are exempt). Officials estimate this will create a revenue stream of about $100 million per year. PROGRESS REPORT: The fees went into effect June 18 and will steadily increase until next summer. While the plan’s opponents worry that it will discourage construction, affordable housing proponents say it’s been a long time coming: Garcetti first proposed the fee in 2015.

THE LAW It’s a vicious circle: Rules aimed at curbing homelessness often just complicate matters. Limits on what people can bring to shelters dissuade them from sleeping there. Fines doled out to people who can’t pay lead to arrests and criminal records, which makes finding a job more difficult. Camps are rousted, spurring people to move elsewhere. A tour of some modest remedies.

TICKET CLINIC

C A R : A D E M P E R C E M /G E T T Y I M AG E S

> IN A COURT-

yard at downtown’s Central Library, the Homeless Court ticket clinic is in session.

Catherine Clay stands twiglegged in heavy boots, reading numbers off a clipboard to a patient crowd.

“One twentysix! One twentyseven!” cries the tiny 43-year-old.

Clutching papers, the chosen few head to the canopied rows of city attorneys to get their citations cleared, much like Clay did five years ago. “Now I’m here as a giveback because I’m grateful it worked for me,” she says.

Homeless off and on for 15 years before being placed in affordable

’d housing, she’d accumulated around $15,000 in fines for driving violations and other small offenses. Tickets come with the territory when you’re living on the streets of L.A., where just lying on the sidewalk can result in a $35 “quality of life” citation; left unpaid, it can snowball into hundreds of dollars or a bench warrant.

Held every couple of months, the clinics don’t tackle the debates raging around the ethics of such enforcement, but the program does enable people to work off those fees with community service and counseling.

$87

MILLION

IS SPENT BY THE CITY ON HOMELESS ARRESTS, SKID ROW PATROLS, AND MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTIONS EACH YEAR

19% OF PEOPLE ARRESTED BY THE LAPD IN 2017 WERE HOMELESS

14,506 OF THOSE 20,983 ARRESTS WERE FOR MISDEMEANORS, MANY INVOLVING CITATIONS FOR STORING PROPERTY OR SLEEPING ON THE SIDEWALK

SAFE PARKING > FOR THE 25 percent of

homeless Angelenos who live in their vehicles, trying to find a safe, legal place to park at night can be frustrating. While camping on the sidewalk is permitted between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in L.A., sleeping in your car at night can lead to costly fines in most areas.

“If you live in your vehicle, your vehicle is vulnerable all the time. It’s really hard to stay citation-free,” says Emily Uyeda Kantrim, who runs

THE BIN > E AC H M O R N I NG, homeless people flock to the Bin, a free Skid Row storage facility run by the nonprofit Chrysalis. Sorting through the 60-gallon city-donated trash bins where they keep their items, visitors grab clothes, take medicine, and tuck away tents.

Safely stowing their stuff gives folks a sense of dignity, says Chrysalis vice president Trevor Kale: “You can go and make your appointments without carrying a humongous bag. It’s freedom.”

It also ensures their belongings won’t get them in trouble with police, since anyone who stores too much in a public area can be cited, arrested, or have their possessions confiscated. How much is too much? Under a city ordinance, everything must fit in a 60-gallon container. The challenge is how to replicate the Bin’s success: The facility is one of only three in L.A., because efforts to open new locations have faced stiff neighborhood resistance.

Safe Parking L.A. Founded in 2016, the nonprofit assists churches and businesses in hosting the vehicular homeless in their parking lots at night while providing portable bathrooms and security and helping connect

people with other supportive services.

The catch, once again, is neighborhood opposition, along with regulatory hurdles.

Despite support from the city, Safe Parking has established only seven of these lots so far.

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 7

HOMELESSNESS & PETS

» STORY BY KEITH PLOCEK » PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE TORENO

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND FOR SOME LIVING IN DIRE POVERTY, ANIMAL COMPANIONS CAN BE LIFESAVERS. BUT THEY COME WITH COSTS. A DTLA CLINIC OFFERS HELP

IN IT TOGETHER: Heather Cobett and her dog, White Boy

HE CORNER

of South Central and Industrial is usually bleak, with trucks grumbling past tents pitched on concrete—the suburbs of Skid Row. But on this crisp Wednesday morning a dozen dogs and their owners stand on the red curb, barking and chatting as they wait for toys, treats, sleeping pads, flea medication, brushes, blankets, and sweaters. On the other side of a folding table, Amanda Casarez shoves a plastic cup into a bag of kibble.

For many in L.A.’s growing homeless population, pets are their closest friends. “We have clients who are living in their cars right now because they refuse to send their dogs to a shelter,” she says, filling a freezer bag with chow. “They have no choice.

They’ve had their beloved pet for 15 years, and that’s their companion.”

Behind Casarez a half-dozen volunteers ready the day’s supplies for clients of the Pet Resource Center, a

8 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

weekly collaboration between Downtown Dog Rescue, Inner City Law Center, and Los Angeles Animal Services. Before clients are permitted to join the weekly gathering on Industrial, they must first pass through the law offices on 7th, where they’re given vouchers for spaying, neutering, and other veterinary services.

Along a brick wall of the law clinic, Casarez chats with Carmen, a curly-haired woman with a puppy wrapped in a blanket. Carmen and her husband used to bring their pit bulls to the Pet Resource Center, but after he was killed in an argument nearby, she had to let the dogs go.

Now she lives in an eight-person tent with her new companion, Sugar. The puppy nibbles on her finger while she lists what she’s lost over the years: her apartment, her car, her husband. “I don’t want a symphony,” she says. “I just need to let it out.”

Not all the clients are homeless.

Some live in temporary housing, others in more permanent situations that still place them on the edge. The

attorneys often hear of pets being used as a reason to threaten evictions when a new landlord decides to reinterpret a longtime lease. Maybe the apartment is rent-controlled and in a coveted area like Highland Park. The lawyers move quickly to establish the pets as support animals and fire off responses on legal letterhead.

Casarez is reminded week after week how much the clients care for their animals. The previous Wednesday, an 81-year-old had a seizure and collapsed in front of the law office. His senior Chihuahua was boarded while he went to the hospital, but the man checked himself out a few hours later to get his dog. Now Casarez is on standby to pick up the Chihuahua in case the man’s health fails again.

“This program is not just 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” she says. “I’m on call 24 hours.”

HOW TO HELP Donate to Downtown Dog Rescue (down towndogrescue.org). Funds pay for vaccinations, shelter, and neutering. Volunteer for fostering and events through DDR and L.A. Animal Services (laanimalservices.com).

NOVEMBER 14, 2018 TO JANUARY 1, 2019

JOIN THE CHALLENGE I

(Your Name Here)

GIVE $

To build L.A. one child, one family, one community at a time!

Now I challenge

(your friend’s name here)

to donate too!

Since 2016, Los Angeles magazine’s GIVE Los Angeles Challenge has raised over $800,000 for participating L.A. nonprofits. This year, we’re teaming up with FUNRAISE, a powerful online fundraising platform, to raise over $1 million dollars for our nonprofit partners.

How Can You Help?

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Go to givelosangeles.funraise.org Read about the remarkable work participating nonprofits are doing in L.A. Make a donation or create a team to benefit the organizations that inspire you the most.

Like, Share and Challenge your friends to donate or join your team.

givelosangeles.funraise.org Each charity that raises over $75,000 will share in a $30,000 grand prize donated by Los Angeles magazine and our sponsors!

» PHOTOGRAPH BY SHARI BELAFONTE

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON HISTORIC BUILDINGS HELP TELL THE COUNTY’S STORY. AS HEAD OF THE L.A. CONSERVANCY, LINDA DISHMAN IS MAKING SURE WE DON’T LOSE THEM

F

O U N D E D I N 1978

to save downtown’s Central Library building, the Los Angeles Conservancy has protected scores of architectural landmarks from the wrecking ball ever since. For much of that time, Linda Dishman has been at the helm, helping the nonprofit grow into the largest preservation organization in the U.S., with nearly 6,000 member households and a staff of 17. Here are a few things the conservancy’s president and CEO has learned in 26 years of defending history.

Compromise is key. “When a building is proposed for demolition, we’ll reach out to the owners and work with them. A good example is the Century Plaza Hotel. We met with the developer over three months, and the hotel is now the centerpiece of a new two-tower complex going up on the site. It’s often possible to have significant new development and save historic resources. Less than 5 percent of L.A. is historic, but what we have is significant, and we need to protect that to tell the stories of our city.”

You can’t preserve if you don’t designate. “More than half of the cities in

10 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

L.A. County don’t have any kind of preservation ordinance allowing residents to designate buildings as historic.

We do a preservation report card that grades L.A.’s cities.

It’s been a motivator for some to either get or update ordinances. Once buildings are designated, there’s some level of protection. In the city of L.A. it can delay demolition for up to one year.

And there’s an incentive for preserving buildings: The Mills Act lowers property taxes on historic structures.

But if you live in a city that doesn’t have the ordinance, then you can’t use the act.”

Preservation may offer other financial incentives. “Some people believe if you designate historic districts, you will lower property values. We know that’s not true, but to get hard data, we’ve commissioned an economic benefit analysis of preservation.

We’re looking at jobs created when you do construction on a 12-story building downtown or a Craftsman home in West Adams. Mansioniza-

tion will be one of the topics focused on—and how historic buildings help keep film production in L.A.; we have a lot of neighborhoods that look like other places.”

It starts with education. “About 10,000 people a year take the conservancy’s downtown walking tours and special tours to spotlight preservation issues or generate support for certain neighborhoods or types of architecture. Another big push is our youth initiative. We work with a nonprofit after-school program in the MacArthur Park-Lafayette Park neighborhood, where we help kids understand, ‘What is this building? What’s its history? What is it now?’ Our goal is to foster a sense of what historic buildings mean to our community. When you bring kids into the circle, you often bring their families, too.”

HOW TO HELP Become a member of the L.A. Conservancy’s 40th Anniversary Club to support the preservation and revitalization of landmark buildings. Go to laconservancy.org.

L I N DA D I S H M A N : S H A R I B E L A FO N T E ; S O U T H W E ST E R N L AW S C H O O L : A D R I A N S COT T F I N E / L . A . CO N S E RVA N C Y

PRESERVING HISTORY

» AS TOLD TO ZOIE MATTHEW

ICONIC STRUCTURE: Southwestern Law School occupies the former Bullocks Wilshire, a historic landmark

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 11

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

» STORY BY SARAH FUSS KESSLER » ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN BARTLETT

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

THE ISSUE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS COMPLICATED AND NOT AS FAR AWAY AS YOU MIGHT THINK. THREE LOS ANGELES ORGANIZATIONS ADDRESS IT LOCALLY AND PUSH FOR PROGRESS NATIONALLY

S

E Q UEST E R E D NO T I N an industrial basement but in a modern three-bedroom on L.A.’s Westside, Ima Matul was a person living in slavery. The 17-year-old had arrived to fill a nanny position for relatives of her previous employer in Indonesia. Because the American family would provide airfare and paperwork, she had promised to work with them at least two years.

Initially Matul had looked forward to earning higher wages and escaping small-town gossip about her termination of an arranged marriage to a much older man. But on her arrival in Los Angeles in 1997, she was sent to another family by the woman she’d planned to work for.

They gradually piled housekeeping duties on top of Matul’s 24-hour care of their infant son. “After a while, the cleaning lady doesn’t come anymore,” Matul says, “and I end up doing everything around the house—cooking, cleaning, laundry, washing the car.” She worked daily until 10 or 11 p.m., slept on the floor of the TV room, rose every couple of hours with the baby, and was up before him in the morning. When she dropped a glass, her employers noted a deduction to her pay. When she inquired about her pay, the couple said they were safeguarding it until she completed her term.

Escalating verbal abuse from the wife—in truth, a slaveholder—ultimately turned physical, and Matul found herself in a hospital emergency room.

12 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

Yet she had nowhere to escape, zero money, and only a bit more English than that. Unbeknownst to her former Indonesian employer, his relative was a human trafficker and had sold Matul to the family she lived with. Rates for domestic servants have been on the rise but can range from a few thousand dollars to upward of $30,000. Protecting their investment, the couple had intimidated Matul with the threat of jail time if she ever dared to run. When the violence worsened in the third year, Matul managed to write a note to the nanny next door: “Please help me.”

“It took me a while to just write that sentence,” Matul remembers. “I was so afraid that my trafficker would find it.”

The day Matul grabbed the packed suitcase she’d stowed in the garage, walked two blocks, and entered the car

belonging to the neighbors’ nanny, she wound up at CAST. The Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking is L.A.’s largest organization addressing human trafficking comprehensively and in 2014 received the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons. A case manager addressed Matul’s immediate concerns—housing, health care, and safety.

Later, an aftercare plan was tailored around her counseling needs, legal requirements, and personal ambitions.

“We’re one of the few organizations in the country working to achieve the goals of our client, the survivor,” says Kay Buck, CAST’s CEO, “instead of pushing a cookie-cutter model on them.” To learn English and acquire new job skills were Matul’s short-term aspirations. Having attended only one

14 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA NG E L E S

semester of school in her life, she would eventually shoot for her GED and obtain it.

C

ALI FOR NIA HAS consistently accounted for the highest number of calls to the national hotline for reporting human trafficking (888-3737888/Text: BeFree) since it was founded a decade ago. Because of its underground and multifarious nature, the problem can be difficult to fully measure and is frequently misunderstood. Whereas citizens of developing nations may be the victims who most readily come to mind, about 25 percent of CAST’s 700 to 800 annual clients are U.S. citizens. Men and boys are also a

forgotten face of the issue, even though they account for a quarter of cases. And while sex trafficking is sometimes thought to be synonymous with human trafficking, half of those CAST serves are like Matul, people who have—through force, fraud, or coercion—been compelled into labor in private homes, hotels, restaurant kitchens, farms, assisted-living facilities, and elsewhere. “When people realize human trafficking is also happening in very affluent areas of the county,” Buck says, “that’s when they’re really surprised.” She sees the largest number of cases—10 percent of the total—in Koreatown, about half as many in Long Beach, and the rest spread out across the county everywhere from Echo Park to Santa Monica.

Survivors of human trafficking who

CO U R T E SY F R E E D O M & FA S H I O N

CREATING SUCCESS: The clothing modeled at Freedom & Fashion’s annual show was designed by survivors of human trafficking and injustice

connect with emergency and rehabilipimp to when she finds herself in one tation services usually do so through of Journey Out’s programs, she may calls they or Good Samaritans make to have spent 20 years or more enduring the national hotline childhood molestaor local offshoots. tion, rape, robbery, Law enforcement is domestic abuse, and another source of resometimes—some“I CAN GIVE ferrals as a result of how—worse.

YOU SHOES AND significant partner“There’s a lot to unships such as the pack,” Powell says.

CLOTHING ALL L.A. Regional Hu“You need 24-hour DAY LONG, BUT man Trafficking care for when she WHAT REALLY Task Force, the wakes up in the midNEEDS TO HAPPEN country’s largest coldle of the night from IS TO UNWRAP laborative effort all that trauma.”

ALL OF THAT against modern-day Among its many slavery. In a shared programs, Journey TRAUMA AND Monterey Park ofOut sends its crisis MAKE SENSE OF IT fice space, L.A. sherresponse team to the SO YOU HAVE THE iff’s officials and prostitution tracks of ABILITY TO MOVE CAST employees Figueroa, Western, FORWARD.” work with an army and Sepulveda to Stephany Powell, of other entities to hand out discreetly executive director of Journey Out help enslaved people packaged informafiltering through the tion about widecriminal system, ranging programs, whether they have from crisis services been rescued during a federal sting or citywide to an array of mental health oparrested doing the bidding of their traftions out of its own Van Nuys and South fickers. Prostitution, for example, is Central drop-in centers, including indiconsidered human trafficking when vidual therapy and survivor-led support the subject is underage or a pimp uses groups. “I can give you shoes and clothforce, fraud, or coercion. ing all day long,” says Powell, “but what really needs to happen is to unwrap all that trauma and make sense of it so you have the ability to move forward.”

This restorative process is compliN S E P T E M BE R 1 of this cated by the severe stigma around sex year, the mayor’s office and work and the resistance many women CAST opened a new emerin it have to perceiving themselves as gency shelter exclusively for victims. “Romeo” and “CEO” pimps survivors of trafficking. According to are known for using mind games— CAST’s tally, about half its clients are posing, respectively, as boyfriends or without a home, and experts warn Hollywood-connected mentors before against diverting this population to insisting their targets help pay “just homeless or domestic violence shelters one” bill (and then another) by stripbecause of the particular care their ping or performing a sexual act with compounded traumas require. “The someone else. “Guerrilla pimps,” by lack of housing is a huge issue for this contrast, assert control through methcommunity,” says Stephany Powell, a ods as violent and overt as kidnapping former police officer and the executive and torture. director of Journey Out, a prominent “When your body is taken, stolen, or nonprofit that helps adults exit sex trafrobbed, being vulnerable with people ficking. From the time a girl padding again is extremely difficult,” says Laaround the neighborhood of her foster verne Delgado-Small, the executive dihome in flip-flops is picked up by a

O

rector of Freedom & Fashion, an organization that offers young survivors of trafficking and other injustices innovative 4- to 12-week curricula in fashion, beauty, or styling. In these counseling/ job-training hybrids, lessons on dress design or shades of lipstick glide naturally into discussions of race, grief, and self-esteem. As the students move toward finding jobs or their own apartments, the organization says it arrives like a “jetpack” behind survivors’ fulltime programs to improve their odds of success. A former executive coach and youth pastor, Delgado-Small says, “We talk about how to let shame go, and with confidence and vulnerability share our journeys in a powerful, purposeful way.” Each year, students pour their experiences into designs featured at a benefit fashion show.

Refining personal stories into fuel for change can be a profound element of a survivor’s healing arc—irrespective of legal consequences for the traffickers. Although the couple who exploited Ima Matul continue to walk free, she has found other avenues to justice. Her first advocacy visit to Sacramento in 2008 to lobby for survivors’ rights to green cards was life-changing. After the success of that effort, she set a new goal: to land a job like the one she has today as the coordinator of CAST’s survivor leadership program, which creates and influences government policies to benefit victims of human trafficking and prevent new instances of slavery in America. “It was amazing how a survivor, someone who was enslaved, has a voice to change a policy,” says Matul, now the 38-year-old steady-eyed mother of three. “I felt so proud that I can do this, that someone is actually listening.”

HOW TO HELP CAST Donate online or at an event. Have your business or community group become a fundraising partner. castla.nationbuilder .com/donate JOURNEY OUT Educate your community about sex trafficking with these two powerful YouTube videos: Beautiful: How I Got Into the Life and The Making of a Girl. Donate online. mightycause.com/story/journeyoutla FREEDOM & FASHION Donate, volunteer or attend events. freedomandfashion.org/donate

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 15

GOODS FOR GOOD

» STORY BY LINDA IMMEDIATO

CONSCIOUS CREATORS L.A. IS HOME TO A GROWING NUMBER OF FEMALE DESIGNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE FINDING NEW WAYS TO EXPLORE THE INTERSECTION OF STYLE AND PHILANTHROPY

VELÉ

LOVE GOODLY > Who says beauty is only skin deep? Love Goodly is a bimonthly box subscription started in 2015 by local moms Justine Lassoff and Katie Bogue Miller. The pair wanted to offer women an alternative to their chemical-filled beauty routines by introducing them to toxin- and crueltyfree products (in addition to fair-trade, vegan, and non-GMO items). Boxes typically include cosmetics, makeup brushes, creams, and serums.

Each box is paired with a nonprofit that receives part of the proceeds; past recipients include Farm Sanctuary, which is dedicated to protect-ing animals, and Cure e Cervical Cancer, which helps provide e screening and treattment. Now you can n feel pretty inside and out. (lovegoodly.com) om)

> For this company, having a philanthropic arm was part of its business plan from the start. (“People over profits” is the brand’s mantra.) Cofounder Tiffany Wong set out to create a single handbag that meets all the needs of today’s on-the-go woman. The result: a crossbody (perfect for travel) that can morph into a clutch (when it’s time to throw on that LBD and head to dinner).

The bags, along with the brand’s simple wallets, are ethically produced in Spain. To inspire women who purchase the bag, Wong had the phrase “you are wanted” embossed inside each one. Velé also donates 10 percent of each purchase to its charitable partner, Not For Sale, a nonprofit dedicated to helping end labor and sex trafficking in the U.S. and around the world. (thisisvele .com)

16 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

MAMAN ET MOI

LAND OF DISTRACTION > The United State of Women was launched by the Obama administration’s White House Council on Women and Girls in 2016 to fight for female equality and provide tools to help young women get involved politically. Its mission dovetails with L.A.-based clothing brand Land of Distraction, which boosts empowerment with its line of ’70s-inspired, fashionably utilitarian, genderless garments. In May the brand was chosen as USOW’s official retailer. It designed two tees that read “Land of Equality” and “Barriers Were Meant to Be Broken,” and proceeds go to USOW. media, for On social so every post using #LandofDistraction #Lan and #StateofWomen, the company donates $1 tto the nonprofit. (landof distraction (la .com/usow) .co

> Growing up in Boston, Allegra Richdale was in awe of her mother. With perfectly coiffed hair and elegant ensembles, she looked like a Kennedy, and she outfitted her children in timeless clothes. In L.A., Richdale sought out those qualities for her line of children’s clothing. She and designer Nanaz Hatami created apron-frock, Peter Pan-collared dresses that recall Camelot-ready jumpers. This year the duo designed something for moms—sophisticated kimono-style robes and loungewear. A percentage of sales goes to Pact, an adoption agency that works to place children of color in permanent homes and provides support on issues of adoption and race. (mamanet moigamins.com)

SHERYL LOWE JEWELRY > Sure, she’s the wife of an ’80s heartthrob (you know, Rob), but designer Sheryl Lowe is the one turning heads these days with her line of handcrafted fine jewelry. Lowe uses a range of materials, from bone and shell to 14 karat gold and diamonds.

When she’s not splitting her time between Santa Barbara and her native L.A., she’s traveling the globe—the Maldives, Abu Dhabi, Beirut—looking for inspiration. A portion of the money from Lowe’s sales goes to support a variety of organizations, including those dedicated to ensuring girls and women everywhere have access to education. That’s more than lip service; for their charitable efforts, Rob and Sheryl Lowe were honored with UNICEF’s Global Philanthropist Award earlier this year. (sheryl lowejewelry.com)

PRESENTS

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1

C U LT U R A L A C C E S S

» STORY BY ZOIE MATTHEW » PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRISTINA GANDOLFO

ART WITH HEART CULTURE CAN MAKE LOS ANGELES A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE. MEET TWO WOMEN WHO PUT THAT BELIEF INTO ACTION THROUGH THE NONPROFITS THEY RUN

THE

VISIONARY

NAIMA KEITH THE CURATOR OF THE CALIFORNIA AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IS REDEFINING THE ROLE OF ART INSTITUTIONS

E

X H I B I T I O N O P E N I N G S at the California African American Museum feel more like a party in a good friend’s backyard than a stuffy social gathering: A few times a year, DJs and food trucks gather under string lights outside the Expo Park institution, drawing thousands of individuals from both the art world and the surrounding neighborhood. “We wanted to make it known that we were welcoming all types of museumgoers,” says 37-year-old chief curator Naima Keith, “not just the ones with a degree in art history or who were fans of Shinique Smith.”

Keith, who held positions at L.A.’s Hammer Museum and the Studio Museum in Harlem, has worked to transform the state-run black art and history museum since arriving in 2016. Aside from rethinking CAAM’s branding and modernizing its main lobby, she’s organized events with L.A. dancers, filmmakers, and artists as well as panel discussions about issues like activism and gentrification.

A Los Angeles native, Keith grew up going to CAAM with her parents; her mother, a radiologist and collector of black art, was on its foundation

18 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

board. Keith was working toward an economics degree at Spelman College in Atlanta when, in her sophomore year, she took an art history course that changed everything (beginning with her major). She remembers being particularly struck by The Waterbearer, a Lorna Simpson photograph of a woman pouring water out of two vessels in a stance that evokes Lady Justice.

“Thinking about art in this capacity and seeing a black female form—it just kind of set off a light bulb for me,” she says.

Last year, in what Keith calls a “fullcircle moment,” the image was featured in the CAAM exhibition We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women. It wasn’t the first exhibition Keith has organized around politically charged art made by women of color.

“We’re well aware of discrepancies be-

tween the amount of exhibitions that men get versus women,” says Keith. “I have the ability to help close that gap.”

Occasionally Keith brings her twoand-a-half-year-old, Ella, along to openings in the hope of instilling an appreciation for art in her (she gave birth to her son, Evan, earlier this year). But you can’t force it, she says.

Her kids will just have to have their own Waterbearer moment some day. “I try to expose them, of course, but there are times when Ella’s just like, ‘Mom. I’m ready for ice cream,’ ” says Keith with a laugh.

THE

PUBLIC-ART

residence in virtually any department.

For instance, we have an artist working with the Department of Transportation on the Vision Zero initiative to reduce traffic deaths.”

I T BU I L DS ST RONGE R COMMUNITIES.

> “Culture and creativity inspire and connect people, and cohesive communities have a greater voice to address issues of displacement and gentrification. We need to find ways to give artists access to capital. We don’t need to import art; every community is inherently creative.”

IT H E LPS US MAKE SE NSE O F T H E S P R AW L .

> “Two years ago, the first Public Art Triennial, Current, brought temporary public art into 15 communities along the L.A. River. It was focused on water. The next iteration, in October 2019, is going to focus on food and will be anchored along the public transportation system.”

HOW TO HELP Explore the California African American Museum’s The Notion of Family through March 2019. Go to caamuseum.org. The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs hosts music, dance, and art events throughout the city. Go to culturela.org.

DEFENDER

DANIELLE BRAZELL SHE’S THE CITY’S FEARLESS LEADER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS

T

H E L . A . Department of Cultural Affairs does an astounding amount of work on a shoestring budget: It manages historic sites like the Watts Towers and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House; it also doles out grants (some up to $60,000) to local artists and organizes thousands of programs and festivals throughout the city each year.

Running the operation is general manager Danielle Brazell, the 52-year-old Northridge native who spent eight years as a nonprofit arts advocate before stepping into her current role in 2014. Since then she’s been on a mission to weave art into the everyday lives of Angelenos. “People often think that art is this thing that’s put up on the wall,” says Brazell. “But it’s fully integrated into civic life.” She tells us why she thinks access to the arts makes for a better L.A. IT CAN H E LP CI V IC LEADE RS S O LV E T R I C K Y P R O B L E M S .

> “Artists are puzzle masters, bringing out-of-the-box thinking to problems facing our cities. We’ll put an artist-in-

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 19

GIVING TO THE GREATER GOOD THE RIGHTEOUS PERSONS FOUNDATION INVESTS IN THE PROMOTION OF LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING AND THE BATTLES AGAINST INJUSTICE, BIGOTRY, AND HATRED

T

H E R E ’S J US T S OM E T H I NG appealing about an organization called “Righteous Persons Foundation,” don’t you think? Created in 1995 by director Steven Spielberg with his share of the profits from 1993’s Schindler’s List, RPF is a private nonprofit that funds programs dedicated to battling antipathy, bridging the divides between people of different backgrounds, and inspiring social activism.

Cofounder Rachel Levin is RPF’s executive director. “When Steven made the film, it was clear he wanted the funds to go back into the community and build on the lessons of the movie,” Levin says. “Standing up against injustice. Being vigilant and fighting against bigotry and hatred. And even though it was founded 23 years ago, there’s still so much to be done.”

Levin considers it fate that she was in the right place at the right time (not to mention equipped with the background) to embark on this path, but you might say she was born for it. “My father is a rabbi, and the founding director of RPF knew that; having a father who cares deeply about Jewish life and who had fought for the rights of workers, immigrants, and others deeply influenced me. That’s the household I grew up in,” she explains.

“I care about the world, and Steven and the foundation care about all those things, too.”

At the core of RPF is the promotion of mutual understanding, and one of its ongoing grantees is Facing History and Ourselves, which gets funding to help teachers address hate speech, stereotyping, and questions about group identity in their classrooms. “FHAO gives me great hope for the future. It’s

2 0 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

been around for several decades and is devoted to helping teachers teach history and to the notion of being an upstander, not just a bystander.”

True to that mission, FHAO updated its Schindler’s List study guide for the film’s 25th anniversary rerelease on December 7, working in partnership with the USC Shoah Foundation—which furthers the remembrance of the Shoah, or WWII Holocaust.

“Our partners will help ensure the film can spark conversations in HOW TO HELP Support the organizations RPF supports.

You can find a list at righteouspersons.org.

Stand up to combat hate, advance social justice, and bring people together across lines of difference.

ST E V E N S P I E L B E R G : K I M FOX / U S C S H OA H FO U N DAT I O N

PHILANTHROPY

» STORY BY PEG MOLINE

HEY, BIG SPENDERS CONSULTANTS LIKE REGINA MILLER BRING TOGETHER WORTHY CAUSES AND PEOPLE OF MEANS

> What does a philanthropic consultant do? “It depends on the scope of the plan, but I do everything the clients need, building a strategy for giving based on their passion points and where we think they can have the most impact. If a client is a pro athlete and wants to leverage their sport to help, say, foster youth, we look at who is doing what, what areas are most interesting to the client, how much the organization is trying to raise. They might be interested in using their platform to bring a fan base to a cause. If that includes an event, it’s not just a party.

There is impact.”

R E G I N A M I L L E R : R I C KY M I D D L E SWO R T H

RIGHTEOUS CAUSE: Steven Spielberg meets with USC Shoah Foundation junior interns to commemorate and discuss the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

schools and communities,” Levin adds.

Spielberg, of course, understands the power of media and storytelling in bringing people together. “RPF helped Sesame Workshop develop Israeli and Palestinian versions of Sesame Street,” Levin says. “Spielberg thinks a lot about our history, even if it tells stories we don’t want to hear….”

The name “Righteous Persons” is from the Bible and based “on the notion that it’s so important to honor justice and people such as Oskar Schindler,” Levin says. “Over the years we’ve been lucky to find and invest in really incredible people who are doing righteous work in this world. Our focus these days includes continuing the work of humanizing ‘the other’— which, unfortunately, has taken on

even more significance—and amplifying the moral voices of the day.” RPF funds the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, which is a relaunch of Martin Luther King Jr.’s push for economic justice.

“We’re proud that we are still doing this work,” Levin says. “The work of social change is long. It’s not quick.

And I strongly believe that philanthropy is a critical engine for social change. It’s a part of the ecosystem that connects grassroots activists to all the other moving parts. It also has a unique role as a place to test new ideas and try things out that can build for the greater good. I’m incredibly proud of the organizations we are supporting. They are what keep us going.”

> How long have you been doing this? “I’ve been in the philanthropic world for 20 years, with my own company for eight. I started out in fundraising with various organizations, including the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance.”

es whenever I can.

You have to be humble enough to ask, and say, ‘I hear what you want to do. Let me come back with a plan.’ ” > So how do you match a client with a project? “I don’t really match them.

Usually my clients are clear about their vision. I look at their assets and activities through my lens. If they are doing a movie premiere, for instance, we ask the studio to do an added screening to bring in a certain community. Suddenly an event becomes an opportunity. They can focus on being brilliant; I can help leverage their influence.” > It sounds thrilling.

“I’m grateful to my clients who let me have fun with them.

I’m proud of them.

It’s courageous to use your platform to bring awareness to systems and how you can change them. them.” > P. M .

> How’d you get into it? “My father was a New York school principal, and I come from hiss way of thinking: If you don’t know something, you raise your hand. If you can’t get the answer, you go learn it. I learned how to fund-raise mostly by doing it, sbut also I take class-

L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 2 1

FOSTER CARE

» STORY BY MARY JANE HORTON » PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHAYAN ASGHARNIA

PARTNERS IN CARE IN THE OVERBURDENED FOSTER SYSTEM, YOU CAN BE THE DEDICATED ADULT A CHILD DESPERATELY NEEDS. CASA OF LOS ANGELES ADVOCATES FOR KIDS, ONE AT A TIME

J

OS I E (A PS E UD ON Y M) was nine when we met and I became her advocate through the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Los Angeles, a nonprofit that provides one-on-one help for foster children. My kids were grown, and I wanted to help someone—not with money, but with my time and energy. Josie had recently been taken away from her family and lived at a Catholic group home. Her mother, who had been living on the streets with Josie and her sister, was profoundly mentally ill and was devastated by the death of her son in a gang shooting. Her father was in prison, and the word was that he had horribly abused Josie, but no one knew how because she didn’t talk about it. The only outward sign was a cigarette burn on her arm. This was a world I couldn’t even imagine.

At my meeting with Josie, her therapist, her social worker, and the head of the home, Josie didn’t say much. She had big brown eyes and braided hair that clung close to her head. She seemed tired. It was hard to reconcile this little girl with the file that said she hit and kicked adults. We all talked for a while, and then Josie and I were escorted to a room to get acquainted. I explained to her that I was there to help make sure she had everything she needed. Then I realized that she was drooling—from all the meds she was on, I assumed. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head; she curled up in my lap

22 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

and went to sleep. We were strangers.

I realized that she was so drugged she was almost nonfunctional, so my first order of business was to get her drug regimen under control. At nine, she was on four psychiatric medications, according to her file. It wasn’t easy. It took several visits with doctors and appearances at court, but I did it; I got her off all but one.

And so we began. That was eight years ago. Since then Josie has been in seven group homes and three foster homes, has gone through at least six psychiatric hospitalizations (post-traumatic stress disorder is her diagnosis) and seven social workers. She had a baby earlier this year at 17. At her last group home she would sneak out and meet the father at the park. He isn’t in the baby’s life, but Josie lives for her child (she finally has

CHILD SUPPORTER: CASA CEO Wende Nichols-Julien

FILLING A NEED FOR FOSTER KIDS: CASA volunteers get training in one-on-one advocacy

someone who loves her unconditionally). She is now in a “whole family” placement with a foster mother who takes care of her and her infant. Besides her two sisters (whom she rarely sees), I am one of the few people who has been steadily in her life. I have helped her get into schools that didn’t want to accept her, deal with social workers who weren’t doing their jobs, get clothes for her baby and grooming items for herself. We have been to dozens of movies, lots of dinners—Panda Express is her favorite—and I am the only person who has ever been to a back-to-school night for her.

Without me she would have been awash in a system that is supposed to care for her but often doesn’t. She wouldn’t have had that person to call when she lost her glasses or her phone and needed new ones. There would be no one making sure she wasn’t overdrugged again.

W H Y I S C A S A N E C E S S A RY ?

CASA exists because there is a real need for this one-on-one advocacy.

Wende Nichols-Julien, the CEO of CASA who is also a mother of four—including one child whom she fostered and then adopted—and a CASA volunteer herself, says: “I have heard multiple people say that the benefit of CASAs [the name given to CASA volunteers] to

24 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

the system is that they can get enraged and annoyed by things within the system that they should be enraged and annoyed about—and still help in some way. All the other players are too jaded to be enraged. This is about justice and breaking down injustices against our most vulnerable neighbors.”

There are more than 30,000 foster kids in Los Angeles County. Not only have they been traumatized, they also are more likely than the general population to have learning delays, to become mothers and fathers in their teens, and to be homeless or incarcerated as adults. Well-meaning people are supposed to be there to help—social workers, judges, lawyers, and therapists—but often they are overworked and unavailable. CASA is the antidote for that. There are 931 CASAs in L.A. who serve 1,124 children. While the CASA ranks are growing quickly (39 percent more kids were served this year than in 2016), there is a long way to go for every foster child in Los Angeles to have a CASA. In addition to identifying the services available to their foster charges, CASAs gather information from teachers, doctors, foster parents, and others. And most important, they appear in court with a report on their findings. “The national CASA movement was started by a Seattle judge in 1977 when he realized

he was making decisions about children’s lives in dependency court with very little real and unbiased information about their situations,” says NicholsJulien. “CASA of Los Angeles was founded in 1978 to address the same issues. What makes L.A. unique is our enormous size and the huge caseloads that judges, attorneys, and social workers have here. Often there is no adult who has a relationship with the child.”

It’s clear what a child gets from a devoted advocate, but what about the volunteer? “I don’t think we talk enough about the benefits of volunteering for the volunteers themselves,” says NicholsJulien. “There’s quite a bit of research about the health benefits—psychological and physical—of volunteering. And, as a CASA, you have the opportunity of knowing that you have made a tangible difference in a young person’s life. One CASA told me that what he likes about this work is that it is ‘aggressively not about me.’ I think in the current political climate people are searching for a way to really help others.”

HOW TO HELP Volunteer: CASA training is 40 hours—mostly in person, some online. Donate: Any amount helps. And learn more about foster care: “It is our responsibility to make sure foster kids don’t get lost in this overwhelmed system,” says Wende Nichols-Julien. Go to casala.org or call 323-859-2888 to attend an informational meeting in your area.

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CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES Mission At Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the one thing we never give up is hope.

Our goal is helping and healing sick children. Ranked No.1 in the West, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles offers medical expertise in more than 350 specialty programs and services to meet the needs of pediatric patients who come from our local community, across the nation and around the globe. In Los Angeles, CHLA delivers lifesaving, family-centered care to one in every 20 children in Los Angeles; that’s more than one child in every classroom in the city.

The Saban Research Institute of CHLA is at the forefront of discovering life-changing treatments our physicians can then apply to patients at the bedside. This year, CHLA joined other pioneering hospitals to deliver the most novel treatments – personalized medicine and

genome sequencing to put pediatric cancers completely in remission; gene therapy to treat congenital blindness; and a clinical trial aiming to use a newborn’s own stem cells in a test to care for a life-threatening heart defect.

How you can help Every single gift counts. CHLA is our community’s safety-net hospital, providing nationally acclaimed care for all children. We bridge the gap between the cost of the medical needs of our patients and the reimbursements we receive through the generosity of individuals and families, one gift at time. Together, we create hope and build healthier futures for courageous kids who need your support.

Your donations help children in L.A. and around the world. Please give generously at GiveCHLA.org.

4650 Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 361-2308 CHLA.org

GIVECHLA.org 26 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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FEARLESS JORDAN AGE 6

His future is in your hands.

Your support can help save the life of a sick child like Jordan.

If you make one donation this holiday, please make it to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

GiveCHLA.org 888.855.8922

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CITY YEAR LOS ANGELES Mission At City Year, we know every child has the potential to succeed.

However, many of the students we serve live in neighborhoods of concentrated poverty, making them more likely to experience adverse childhood experiences, including trauma and toxic stress. Nationally, students in these circumstances graduate high school at rates that are nearly 22 percentage points lower than their middle- and upper-income peers. This inequity is due in part to a lack of access to high-quality educational opportunities and individualized supports that are designed to meet the intensity of student need. *P[` @LHY WHY[ULYZ ^P[O 3VZ (UNLSLZ <UPÄLK OPNO ULLK ZJOVVSZ [V OLSW bridge the gap between what their students need and what most urban schools are designed and resourced to provide. Over the past 12 years, City Year Los Angeles has recruited a diverse team of more than 2,200 young adults to serve as AmeriCorps members in schools all day, every day as tutors, mentors, and role models. In partnership with teachers, City Year AmeriCorps members provide academic and social-emotional support to students who are at risk of dropping out, provide classroom support, and contribute to a positive school culture, climate, and community.

How you can help Every child deserves a champion in their corner to help them learn and grow. City Year’s holistic approach to supporting students has measurable impact. Partner schools are two to three times more likely to improve on standardized state assessments in English and math than similar schools that don’t partner with City Year. Additionally, students who work closely with City Year AmeriCorps members gain an average of one month of additional learning and build socialemotional skills that are essential for college, career, and life.

Support the future leaders of our city by donating to City Year’s Give L.A. campaign. Your generous donation will be matched one-to-one with public funding and goes directly toward helping us provide thousands of students with the academic interventions and transformational relationships they need to thrive.

606 South Olive Street, Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90014 (213) 596-5903 cityyear.la/givela

cityyear.la/givela 28 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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CRAYON COLLECTION Mission Crayon Collection intervenes in cycles of waste by collecting gently used crayons from restaurants and hotels, in addition to community-based collection efforts. Through the simple act of saving a crayon, the organization reignites art programs in schools, engages environmental and community stewards, and creates a sustainability model.

On Earth Day, Crayon Collection launched the 1 Million Crayon Drive to use our sustainability model to help alleviate teachers’ personal spending of $900 per year. They hosted the 1 Million Crayon Drive and Exhibit on August 11, 2018, in Culver City to donate crayons and our art lesson plans to 700 LAUSD and Head Start teachers. Crayon Collection set a new Guinness World Records title for Most Crayons Donated to Charity by donating 1,009,500 crayons.

The charity also highlights other habits of waste, including singleuse plastics. Crayon Collection spearheaded the ban on plastic straws and cutlery in the city of Malibu on June 1, 2018. They co-hosted a single-use plastics awareness event with the City of Beverly Hills at City Hall.

Crayon Collection’s Art Education Program brings L.A.-based artists to schools. The organization is building an afterschool program for vulnerable communities in Los Angeles. #LAGREENTEEN will teach L.A. students about sustainability and social advocacy through social media.

How you can help Start your own Crayon Collection or become a donor!

• Crayon Recycling Donor: $25. Supplies a restaurant with a Crayon Collection Box. • After-school Program Donor: $50. Provides a Crayon Collection after-school program lesson in Los Angeles.

• Straws Donor: $100. Supports Straws advocacy events.

• L.A. Artist Donor: $200. Professional artists teach LAUSD classrooms a Crayon Collection art education lesson.

• L.A. Green Teen Donor: $500. Supports #LAGREENTEEN sustainability education.

149 South Barrington Avenue, #649 Los Angeles, CA 90049 crayoncollection.org

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REIGNITING ART EDUCATION

BY RETHINKING TRASH

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D.A.R.E. DRUG ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION Mission 0U [OL 3VZ (UNLSLZ 7VSPJL +LWHY[TLU[ HUK 3 ( <UPÃ&#x201E;LK :JOVVS District collaborated to create the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program D.A.R.E. D.A.R.E. envisions a world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from substance abuse, violence, and other dangerous behaviors by teaching students good decision-making skills to help them lead drug-free, safe, and healthy lives.

In addition to our science- and evidence-based elementary, middle and high school curricula, D.A.R.E. this year launched comprehensive K-12 Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention curricula which are provided FREE to D.A.R.E. communities throughout the Greater Los (UNLSLZ HYLH HUK :V\[OLYU *HSPMVYUPH

How you can help :PUJL [OL Z + ( 9 , OHZ JVU[YPI\[LK Z\IZ[HU[PHSS` [V [OL YLK\Jtion in youth illicit substance abuse. However, greater reductions need to be achieved. Each day, children in Los Angeles and throughout :V\[OLYU *HSPMVYUPH HYL WYLZLU[LK ^P[O [OL VWWVY[\UP[` MVY OPNO YPZR ILhavior at school, on the street, and on their mobile devices that include drugs, nicotine, bullying, cyber risks, and suicide, to name just a few.

You can help D.A.R.E. realize further reductions in youth illicit substance and opioid abuse.

A $25 contribution will provide student workbooks for a classroom; ^PSS WYV]PKL [OLT MVY HU LU[PYL ZJOVVS ( KVUH[PVU ^PSS [YHPU H + ( 9 , VMMPJLY ^OV ^PSS YLHJO Z[\KLU[Z WLY `LHY [OLYLI` providing K-12 students with the skills to make decisions for safe and healthy living.

P.O. Box 512090 800-223-3273 dare.org

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7HDFKLQJ 6WXGHQWV 'HFLVLRQ 0DNLQJ IRU 6DIH +HDOWK\ /LYLQJ 0DNLQJ D GLƪHUHQFH WKURXJK \RXU VXSSRUW You can help D.A.R.E. further reduce youth illicit substance abuse.

Your donation will help train 1,000 new D.A.R.E. instructors throughout L.A. and Southern California who will teach more than 100,000 students annually.

GDUH RUJ

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“In the past, I used drugs to try to cope with the pain of the abuse and neglect I endured. Transcendental Meditation has healed wounds that I never thought I could recover from. It has saved my life and helped me become a more patient and caring mother to my children.”

- Jennifer, Mother of two, Survivor of Domestic Violence

THE DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION Mission The David Lynch Foundation (DLF) was created in 2005 to bring healing and self-empowerment to individuals who suffer from trauma and toxic stress. DLF provides training in the evidence-based Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique, a simple, profound, and reliable tool to overcome the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress and enjoy a healthier, more productive life.

David Lynch Foundation / Los Angeles serves • • • •

Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault Veterans experiencing post-traumatic symptoms Students in underserved schools Individuals healing from addiction

Impactful Outcomes • Women experience powerful relief from the symptoms of PTS PUJS\KPUN YLK\JLK ÅHZOIHJRZ HUK Z\IZ[HUJL HI\ZL HUK PTWYV]LK satisfaction with quality of life. =L[LYHU WYVNYHTZ OH]L ZOV^U ZPNUPÄJHU[ PTWHJ[ VU T\S[PWSL 7;: symptoms, including improved quality of sleep, decreased anxiety, and better personal relationships.

• Students show improvement in academic performance and selfregulation, as well as in their ability to plan for the future and focus. ( NYV^PUN U\TILY VM WLVWSL HYL ÄUKPUN [OH[ ;YHUZJLUKLU[HS Meditation is an essential tool in their recovery from addiction.

500,000 Iraq and Afganistan Veterans

Suffer from PTSD or Depression

“After starting TM, my mind and emotions were JHSTLK 0 OHK T` ÄYZ[ M\SS UPNO[ VM ZSLLW PU years. I have new goals in my life, and I haven’t Z[VWWLK ZTPSPUN L]LY ZPUJL T` ÄYZ[ TLKP[H[PVU ¹ - Carlos, Veteran of Operation Desert Storm and Liberation of Kuwait

How you can help You can help the David Lynch Foundation reach its goal of $125,000.

These funds will help provide scholarships for the life-transforming TM technique to 800 underserved students, 50 survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault, 50 veterans, and 50 people in recovery in Los Angeles. These programs provide deep relief and open new possibilities to program participants, their families, and their communities.

David Lynch Foundation currently serves 2,000 students and educators in 7 schools in Los Angeles. Your support will help us meet our goals to serve our community in this coming year.

621 South Highland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 852-3004 KH]PKS`UJOMV\UKH[PVU VYN SVZHUNLSLZ͋

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HEAL THE BAY Mission Beach cleanups are just the beginning. Heal the Bay mobilizes L.A.’s diverse communities to protect our coastline, revitalize our urban waterways and speak out for smart water policies. For more than three decades, we’ve been the guardian of the Bay—protecting the health of beachgoers and animals alike.

• Action. We conduct hundreds of beach and community cleanups each year, informing people about the root causes of pollution along the shoreline and in their neighborhoods.

• Advocacy. We push for strict water-quality regulations, holding polluters accountable for the plastic trash and harmful bacteria fouling our region.

• Inspiration. We operate an award-winning aquarium underneath the Santa Monica Pier, urging visitors to protect the region’s most important natural resource—our ocean.

• Education. We train the next generation of stewards, with more [OHU Z[\KLU[Z QVPUPUN \Z LHJO `LHY MVY ZJPLUJL IHZLK ÄLSK trips, classroom presentations and community events.

How you can help Heal the Bay makes it easy to protect what you love—whether it’s giving time, giving voice, or giving money. We hold monthly orientations where you can learn about dozens of volunteer opportunities. And with nearly 80 cents of every donated dollar going directly to grassroots programs, you can be assured of making a smart investment in a cleaner, bluer L.A. What your gift will fund: $50

Provides food for all the local animals at our teaching Aquarium for one day.

$500

Supports a community cleanup for 1,000 volunteers.

$1,000 Underwrites a year of water-quality monitoring at the state’s five most polluted beaches.

1444 Ninth Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310) 451-1500 healthebay.org

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THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY ALLIANCE FOR BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS Mission The Los Angeles County Alliance for Boys & Girls Clubs secures ÄUHUJPHS Z\WWVY[ MVY HSS *S\I SVJH[PVUZ ZLY]PUN V]LY `V\[O )` ZOPUPUN H SPNO[ VU [OL NYLH[ PTWHJ[ [OLZL *S\IZ OH]L PU [OLPY JVTT\UP[PLZ [OL (SSPHUJL ^VYRZ [V LUNHNL TVYL `V\[O PU [OL *S\IZ ULHY [OLT ZV [OL` OH]L H WVZP[P]L ZHML WSHJL [V IL HUK [OYP]L HM[LY school.

(SS M\UKZ NLULYH[LK I` [OL (SSPHUJL HYL KP]PKLK L]LUS` HTVUN HSS V\Y JS\IZ [V M\UK NHWZ PU L_PZ[PUN WYVNYHTZ PU Ä]L JVYL WYVNYHT HYLHZ! JOHYHJ[LY SLHKLYZOPW LK\JH[PVU HUK JHYLLY KL]LSVWTLU[" OLHS[O" SPML ZRPSSZ" HY[Z" HUK ZWVY[Z Ä[ULZZ HUK YLJYLH[PVU

How you can help @V\Y JVU[YPI\[PVU JHU WSH` HU PTWVY[HU[ WHY[ PU [OL THU` ^VUKLYM\S Z\JJLZZ Z[VYPLZ VM `V\[O ^OVZL SP]LZ ^LYL JOHUNLK MVY [OL IL[[LY ^P[O [OL OLSW VM V\Y JS\IZ 7SLHZL JVUZPKLY KVUH[PUN [V Z\WWVY[ H NYLH[ future for our youth.

578 Washington Boulevard, #199 Marina del Rey, CA 90292 (310) 303-2869 Greatfuturesla.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2OOWlY8 3 8 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

SUPPORT 128 CLUB LOCATIONS AND OVER 130,000 YOUTH AGES 6-18 THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY All funds donated to the ALLIANCE go equally in support of ALL MEMBER CLUBS

ALLIANCE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE • Marketing & fundrasing arm for all clubs • Provides financial support for all clubs • Program developement & workforce opportunities

CREATE GREAT FUTURES

DONATE NOW GreatFuturesLA.org

• All donations go equally to all clubs

ALLIANCE MEMBERS BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF BURBANK – BURBANK WEST VALLEY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB – CANOGA PARK BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CARSON – CARSON BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF HOLLYWOOD – HOLLYWOOD BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF LONG BEACH – LONG BEACH VARIETY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB – LA-BOYLE HEIGHTS BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF METRO LOS ANGELES – LA-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES BOYS & GIRLS CLUB – LA-LINCOLN HEIGHTS BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MALIBU – MALIBU BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE FOOTHILLS – MONROVIA

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF SAN FERNANDO VALLEY – PACOIMA ANTELOPE VALLEY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS – PALMDALE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF PASADENA – PASADENA BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE LOS ANGELES HARBOR – SAN PEDRO FORT MACARTHUR AFB YOUTH CENTER – SAN PEDRO SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS – SANTA CLARITA BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SANTA MONICA – SANTA MONICA BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF VENICE – VENICE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WEST SAN GABRIEL VALLEY – MONTEREY PARK BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF WHITTIER – WHITTIER

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LOS ANGELES DODGERS FOUNDATION Mission Established in 1995, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is the VMÃ&#x201E;JPHS [LHT JOHYP[` VM [OL 3VZ (UNLSLZ +VKNLYZ /HYULZZPUN [OL power of the Dodger brand and a passionate fan base, LADF works to ZPNUPÃ&#x201E;JHU[S` PTWHJ[ \UKLYZLY]LK `V\[O PU ZVTL VM [OL TVZ[ JOHSSLUNLK ULPNOIVYOVVKZ VM 3VZ (UNLSLZ 3(+- HKTPUPZ[LYZ KPYLJ[ WYVNYHTZ ZLY]PUN `V\[O HUK JVTT\UP[PLZ H[ SHYNL HUK WYV]PKLZ NYHU[Z [V SVJHS UVUWYVÃ&#x201E;[ VYNHUPaH[PVUZ 3(+- PZ MVJ\ZLK VU Ã&#x201E;UKPUN PUUV]H[P]L ^H`Z [V JYLH[L VWWVY[\UP[PLZ MVY JOPSKYLU [OYV\NO WYVNYHTZ [OH[ LUNHNL RPKZ PU ZWVY[Z OLSW RPKZ Z[H` HJ[P]L HUK WYVTV[L HJHKLTPJ Z\JJLZZ

How you can help ;OL IV`Z HUK NPYSZ VM V\Y NYLH[ JP[`·YLNHYKSLZZ VM ^OV [OL` HYL VY ^OLYL [OL` SP]L·JHU [YHUZMVYT [OLPY SP]LZ [OYV\NO [OL WV^LY VM ZWVY[ ,]LY` KH` ^L OLSW `V\UN WLVWSL M\SMPSS [OLPY WV[LU[PHS JOHUNL [OLPY [YHQLJ[VY` HUK L_JLLK L_WLJ[H[PVUZ ;OH[»Z [OL WV^LY VM IHZLIHSS (UK ^P[O [OL WV^LY VM IHZLIHSS ^L OH]L [OL WV^LY [V JOHUNL 3VZ (UNLSLZ 1VPU \Z :[HY[PUN [OPZ .P]PUN ;\LZKH` 5V]LTILY [OYV\NO 1HU\HY` ]PZP[ KVKNLYZ JVT IS\LJPYJSL HUK ILJVTL H TLTILY VM [OL +VKNLYZ -V\UKH[PVU )S\L *PYJSL

1000 Vin Scully Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012 (323) 224-4260 Dodgers.com/LADF

https://hi.funraise.io/2zkA8X8 40 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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“It’s motivational, it’s inspirational, it is BIGGER THAN BASEBALL.” – Barney Ramirez, Dodgers RBI Parent and Coach

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LOS ANGELES FOOD POLICY COUNCIL Mission The Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC) works to ensure food is healthy, affordable, fair, and sustainable for all.

We believe that all communities deserve access to good food, grown in a way that respects people and the planet. We envision a local food system free from hunger and rooted in social equity and access, supportive of farmers and food workers, grounded in environmental stewardship, and guided by principles of regeneration. Our approach is to cultivate necessary collaboration from farm to fork and across government, business, and community to create a world with Good Food for All. Through collaboration, we have successfully implemented policies to improve school food, promote urban farms and community gardens, YLK\JL MVVK ^HZ[L HUK ÄNO[ ºMVVK KLZLY[» JVUKP[PVUZ MHJPUN THU` SV^ income Angelenos.

How you can help Your Support Makes a Difference Our goal is to raise $10,000 to support grassroots community leaders working to bring healthy food to their communities and spark engagement in policy and action.

We connect and catalyze thousands of individuals and organizations across Los Angeles through dynamic working groups, engaging public L]LU[Z HUK V\Y PUUV]H[P]L JVTT\UP[` KYP]LU WVSPJ` HWWYVHJO ;OL result is better policy, better food, and civically engaged communities.

Your donation goes a long way toward building a better food system for all. With your donation, you can: Grow Urban Agriculture Support the growth of urban agriculture by sharing our comprehensive toolkit, L.A. Grown! $35 per toolkit for urban farmers Empower Community Food Leaders Support a South L.A. community resident to attend our food policy advocacy training. $125 per resident Bring Fresh Produce to Food Deserts Support training for a corner store in an underserved L.A. neighborhood to provide fresh produce and healthy snacks! $550 per store

305 East 1st Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 473-3528 goodfoodla.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2P5rRS1 42 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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MUSEUM OF TOLERANCE Mission +PMÄJ\S[ JVU]LYZH[PVUZ HYL JOHSSLUNPUN HSS (TLYPJHUZ PU [OLZL [LUZL [PTLZ HUK HYL PTWHJ[PUN Z[\KLU[Z HUK WSH`PUN V\[ PU ZJOVVSZ ;OL 4\ZL\T VM ;VSLYHUJL PZ \UPX\LS` WVZP[PVULK [V WYV]PKL H ZHML ZWHJL HUK [OL [Y\Z[LK WYVMLZZPVUHS N\PKHUJL [V U\Y[\YL JV\YHNLV\Z JVU]LYZH[PVUZ [OH[ HYL ZVS\[PVUZ IHZLK HUK PUJS\ZP]L NLULYH[L \UKLYZ[HUKPUN HUK WYVTV[L Q\Z[PJL ,K\JH[VYZ SH^ LUMVYJLTLU[ WYVMLZZPVUHSZ HUK WHYLU[Z JHSS [OL 46; L]LY` ^LLR ^P[O YLX\LZ[Z MVY V\Y \UPX\L HU[P IPHZ HUK YLZ[VYH[P]L LK\JH[PVUHS WYVNYHTZ `L[ [OL` HYL \UHISL [V WH` ;OL 46; Z\IZPKPaLZ H[ SLHZ[ Z[\KLU[Z MYVT \UKLYZLY]LK JVTT\UP[PLZ ]LY` `LHY PUJS\KPUN ]PH [OL + ( »Z 7YVQLJ[ 3,(+ >L WYV]PKL ZJOVVS ]PZP[Z [V JHTW\ZLZ PU ULLK HUK J\Z[VTPaL `V\[O LTWV^LYTLU[ HUK KL]LSVWTLU[ WYVNYHTZ MVY OPZ[VYPJHSS` \UKLYYLWYLZLU[LK JVTT\UP[PLZ [OH[ LTWV^LY [OLT [V ZWLHR \W HUK SLHK ;OL 46; OHZ ILLU YLJVNUPaLK PU[LYUH[PVUHSS` MVY P[Z JVU[YPI\[PVUZ [V [OL J\S[\YHS HUK JP]PJ HK]HUJLTLU[ VM 3VZ (UNLSLZ HUK OHZ ILLU OVZ[ [V V]LY TPSSPVU ]PZP[VYZ·ZJOVVSJOPSKYLU KPNUP[HYPLZ HUK [V\YPZ[Z HSPRL ZPUJL P[Z VWLUPUN `LHYZ HNV

How you can help 6\Y NVHS PZ ZV [OH[ ^L JHU PUJYLHZL V\Y JHWHJP[` [V ZLY]L TVYL `V\[OZ PU V\Y JVYL WYVNYHTZ! STEPS TO TOLERANCE: [O HUK [O NYHKL I\SS`PUN WYL]LU[PVU WYVNYHT $36 per student TOOLS FOR TOLERANCE FOR TEENS: [O [OYV\NO [O NYHKL KH` SVUN `V\[O LTWV^LYTLU[ WYVNYHT $85 per student SPONSOR A CLASS TRIP TO THE MOT: ,_WLYPLUJL [OL 46; HZ H ZVJPHS SHIVYH[VY` $400 SPACE TO TALK ABOUT RACE: [O [OYV\NO [O NYHKL WV^LYM\S JSHZZYVVT IHZLK KPHSVN\L [V WYVTV[L \UKLYZ[HUKPUN HUK MPUK UL^ ^H`Z MVY^HYK $500 per presentation

1399 South Roxbury Drive Los Angeles, CA 90035 (310) 772-2505 museumoftolerance.com

https://hi.funraise.io/2ONSH0B 44 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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PRESENT NOW Mission Present Now assists mothers and children entering domestic violence shelters. By providing “presents” consisting of both necessary and specialty items for the children, we alleviate some of the stress of entering a shelter while also bringing some measure of joy during this time of acute crisis.

Present Now Presents Program consists of three gifts. The Presence VM 4PUK )V_ PZ NP]LU [V LHJO JOPSK PU :LW[LTILY ÄSSLK ^P[O ZJOVVS supplies suited to the child’s age and grade level. The Presence of Love Box is delivered to each child on Valentine’s Day. Enclosed will be an age-appropriate digital toy and/or learning device. The Presence of Being Box is presented to children on their birthday. Each box will include a restaurant gift card for the family to enjoy a birthday dinner out on the town and ingredients for a homemade cake to be prepared I` [OL MHTPS` PU [OL ZOLS[LY ;OPZ IV_ ^PSS HSZV PUJS\KL HU V\[Ä[ HNL appropriate toy, and book.

With all three of these boxes, our goal is to create hope and some measure of comfort all year long for the child.

How you can help In 2014 in the state of California, there were 5,784 victims of domestic violence served every single day. There were 496,972 reports of child abuse and neglect.

Last year, through the Give L.A. Challenge, we raised $42,000 that allowed us to expand our program into 34 shelter locations throughout California, supporting 530 children. We need your help.

Your contribution to our Presents Program will allow mothers and children suffering from domestic violence to find peace and will bring them joy. Every child deserves a present, especially when their family is suffering. Help us reach more children!

Please visit our website to view our Presents wish list and for upcoming volunteer opportunities. presentnow.org

2716 Ocean Park Boulevard, Suite 2000 Santa Monica, CA 90405 (424) 330-0002 presentnow.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2z530CZ 46 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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COMMUNITY HEALTH COUNCILS Mission Good for the Hood supports Community Health Councils (CHC) to help communities achieve social justice and equity.

Inequality is growing. In 2016, the Corporation for Economic Development and Institute for Policy Studies issued a call to action: “If current economic trends continue, the average black household will need 228 years to accumulate as much wealth as their white counterparts. … For the average Latino family, it will take 84 years.”

Many factors impact the ability of communities to overcome poverty— structural racism, affordable housing, quality education, health care, and employment.

How you can help CHC formed after the L.A. uprisings in 1992. CHC has won small but impactful battles in South L.A. to improve the lives of thousands of Angelenos, including limiting new fast food restaurants, increasing farmers’ markets, implementing tough environmental regulations on oil fields, and creating a health care workforce pipeline for youth.

Something as simple as a new streetlight or crosswalk will save lives.

Your donations will help bring more Good for the Hood by funding activities that help create a more equitable Los Angeles for everyone!

3731 Stocker Street, #201 Los Angeles, CA 90008 (562) 682-0210 JOJ PUJ VYN͋

https://hi.funraise.io/2z4FKoz

4 8 L A M AG 48 A . C O M/G I V E L O SA ANGE LE S

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DR. SUSAN LOVE RESEARCH FOUNDATION Mission We believe that unconventional ideas pursued with unlikely partners can deliver groundbreaking results.

We want to eradicate breast cancer in our lifetime. So we approach this complex disease from new, unexplored WLYZWLJ[P]LZ [V HJJLSLYH[L ZJPLU[PÄJ PUUV]H[PVU HUK save lives. Investments of all sizes empower the foundation’s vision for meaningful research. We can’t do this important work without the support of passionate community members who believe that forging unique partnerships for innovative research is the clearest path for making breast cancer a thing of the past.

How you can help We believe that finding the cause of breast cancer lies at the intersection of research and love. By supporting the work of innovative researchers to look for answers in unexplored places and rallying individuals all around the world to donate, with love, their time and treasure to the cause, we know it’s only a matter of time before we win this fight for our lives.

Dr. Susan Love and research intern Laura Roudebush, in the field for the Mapping the Breast Ducts study.

16133 Ventura Boulevard Suite 1000 Encino, CA 91436 (310) 828-0060 drsusanloveresearch.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2Pl12Za

As a metastatic breast cancer patient, it is important for me to support research because it’s the only way we’ll be able to stop breast cancer in its tracks. Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation is leading the charge by driving the critical and innovative research needed to bring us closer to eradicating this disease once and for all.

PHOTO CREDIT: DANETTE MITCHELL PHOTOGRAPHY

ò (UH Stage IV, Metastatic Breast Cancer Patient

16133 Ventura Boulevard Suite 1000 Encino, CA 91436 (310) 828-0060 DrSusanLoveResearch.org

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LA GALAXY FOUNDATION Mission The LA Galaxy Foundation is dedicated to assisting the community in which the LA Galaxy lives, works and plays. Through soccer programming, the LA Galaxy Foundation promotes inclusion for all athletes, education opportunities and a strong spirit of volunteerism. The LA Galaxy and LA Galaxy Foundation are proud to facilitate over 150 community L]LU[Z HUU\HSS` PUJS\KPUN I\PSKPUN ZVJJLY ÄLSKZ [V provide safe places to play, allowing students to learn and to cook healthful foods grown in school gardens, empowering women of all ages to learn from each other and recognize their potential and celebrating the WV^LY VM ZWVY[ [OYV\NO V\Y :WLJPHS 6S`TWPJZ <UPÄLK Team. The LA Galaxy Foundation is proud to have donated over $5 million through programs like these to support our Los Angeles community.

How you can help Please join the LA Galaxy Foundation and help provide inclusive opportunities for all youth to grow and develop through the beautiful game.

18400 Avalon Boulevard, Suite 200 Carson, CA 90746 (562) 305-2879 lagalaxy.com/foundation Instagram: @la_galaxy_foundation

https://hi.funraise.io/2RiCHk9

BUILDING CHAMPIONS FOR LOS ANGELES

education

inclusion

volunteerism

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MICAH’S VOICE Mission Micah’s Voice provides hope and help for families affected by autism.

Founded by Sharhonda and Shawn Stockman (founding member of Boyz II Men), the charity operates on the belief that every child has unique abilities and gifts to share with the world. Through programs WYV]PKPUN LK\JH[PVU H^HYLULZZ Z\WWVY[ HUK ÄUHUJPHS HZZPZ[HUJL MVY those in need, Micah’s Voice empowers families affected by autism and gives voice to their special children, so that they can enjoy the best quality of life possible. The charity is named after the Stockmans’ son, Micah, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3.

How you can help • Make a donation to help us raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, particularly in communities with the highest needs. The earlier we know a child has this condition, the more we can help the child and change the lives of the entire family.

• Sponsor a diagnosis. Some families cannot afford to get their child’s official diagnosis, which gives the family access to services. A onetime donation of $1,500 helps one family overcome this otherwise insurmountable hurdle.

• Add your voice to Micah’s Voice. Make an ongoing donation in the name of a family you know affected by autism with a monthly pledge of $50, $100 or $1000. Small ongoing donations allow us to help more families.

• Send a message. We are raising $50,000 to fund public service announcements to send the message to the families affected by autism: You are not alone. These PSAs will air on television, on radio and in theaters.

4100 West Alameda Avenue, #30 Burbank, CA 91505 (213) 479-8078 micahsvoice.com

providing hope for families affected by autism

https://hi.funraise.io/2OTkvAY L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 51

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RAISE A CHILD Mission Building loving families for foster childrenÂŽ How can you help a foster child in need? Give the ultimate gift: the gift of family. RaiseAChild believes in the importance of family and it is our goal to support prospective foster parents who wish to open their hearts and homes to a foster child.

How you can help You can pledge your commitment to families by making a donation to RaiseAChild today! Your gift ensures RaiseAChild can continue its mission of connecting foster children with safe, loving homes. This season, be a champion for family.

695 South Vermont Avenue, Suite 1201 Los Angeles, CA 90005 (323) 417-1440 raiseachild.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2OMpfrQ

52 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

ÂŽ

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BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF GREATER LOS ANGELES Mission Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles (BBBSLA) exists to inspire, ignite and empower potential in the children and youth of Los Angeles. We do this by establishing and fostering professionallysupported one-to-one mentoring relationships.

How you can help Currently, we serve close to 1800 children in our community, and we have BIG dreams of doubling that number. You can help us achieve our goals by donating to BBBSLA: â&#x20AC;˘ Donate $24 to represent one year of memories (two outings per month) between a Little & a Big. â&#x20AC;˘ Donate $63 in honor of the 63 years of BBBSLA. â&#x20AC;˘ Donate $1900 to fund one match for an entire year.

Thank you for your support!

3150 North San Fernando Boulevard, Suite C Los Angeles, CA 90065 ĚŁ IIIZSH VYN

https://OP M\UYHPZL PV `@AM`(

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER LOS ANGELES Mission Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (Habitat LA) puts love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Founded in 1990, Habitat has been honored for six consecutive years with a Charity Navigator 4-star rating. Habitat LA has built, renovated, or repaired more than 1,300 houses and community structures, and has grown to serve a geography spanning 85 percent of Los Angeles County.

Help more families

build a better tomorrow Donate today at habitatla.org

How you can help The lives of thousands of individuals have been transformed by Habitat LA. Your support during Give LA will help break the cycle of poverty and will allow more families to achieve the stability and self-reliance they need to build a better future.

8739 Artesia Boulevard )LSSMSV^LY *( c OHIP[H[SH VYN

Building a Greater Los Angeles @HabitatLA

O[[WZ! OP M\UYHPZL PV 69@3>

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INNER-CITY ARTS THE GIFT OF

CREATIVITY

can change a life forever.

Mission Inner-City Arts—a leading provider of quality arts education for underserved children and teens—is a vital partner in the work of creating a safer, healthier, and more creative Los Angeles. Here on our campus, students K-12 engage with teaching artists in fully equipped visual, media, and performing art studios. By providing equitable access to arts programming, Inner-City Arts inspires, heals, uplifts, and empowers the next generation.

How you can help With increased support, we can provide more opportunities for our most underserved youth. You can support more than 6,000 L.A. kids and teens by volunteering, sharing our story, and making a contribution.

Support arts education for underserved youth.

720 Kohler Street Los Angeles, CA 90021 (213) 627-9621 inner-cityarts.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2OMmRBr

LA’S BEST AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM Mission LA’s BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program plays a vital role in the lives of more than 25,000 elementary school students who come from neighborhoods with the fewest resources and the greatest needs.

Every school day, each LA’s BEST student receives a nutritious meal, help with their homework and the opportunity to participate in enrichment activities including S.T.E.M., the arts, literacy, sports, nutrition and more.

How you can help Your support will provide a safe and supervised afterschool education, enrichment and recreation program for young children. Your donation of time, energy and resources will help engage children creatively, emotionally, intellectually and physically, empowering them to explore and discover the opportunities in their lives.

200 North Spring Street Suite M-120 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 978-0801 | lasbest.org

https://hi.funraise.io/2PkfqRv 5 4 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

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Youth suicide has become a public health emergency, imperiling generations of children. We bring the best mental health/suicide prevention programs to schools at no cost.

The CDC reports that suicide is the leading cause of death for 10-14 year olds and the 2nd leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. Each year, on average, 575,000 teens attempt suicide.

"Losing my only child to suicide left a permanent hole in my heart. We must awaken the public to the pervasive tragedy of teen suicide."

RON SILVERMAN

We need your help. Your donation will get students and schools off of our waiting list. We seek donations of all types, including in-kind for school club campaigns and our annual golf classic. In addition, we are always looking for volunteers and advocates to help spread this messaging.

https://hi.funraise.io/2z1D9eT #youMATTer

www.mattsfoundation.org

#4Matthew

https://hi.funraise.io/2z1D9eT

WE APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERS Los Angeles magazine thanks the following companies who donated products and services to the 2nd Annual Best of L.A. Auction.

• • • • •

American Contemporary Ballet dtox day spa Geffen Playhouse Malibu Family Wines Skirball Cultural Center

• Terranea®, L.A.’s Oceanfront Resort • The Langham Huntington, Pasadena • The Music Center • wineLA

Each of these partners’ contributions is helping us fund the $30,000 cash prize to be shared equally by non-profits raising over $75,000 during the 2018 Give Los Angeles Challenge.

Thank You! To donate to the Give Los Angeles Challenge visit givelosangeles.funraise.org L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S 55

F I N D I N G YO U R C AU S E

» STORY BY ZOIE MATTHEW » PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL DEVLIN

FAMILY ACTS VOLUNTEERING WITH YOUR KIDS, PARENTS, AND EVEN GRANDPARENTS NOT ONLY DOES GOOD, IT ALSO TEACHES VALUABLE LESSONS ABOUT THE MEANING OF SERVICE

ALL TOGETHER NOW: A family works an Oak Park Big Sunday event in May

W

OR K I NG W I T H

a network of local nonprofits to offer more than 2,000 volunteer opportunities per year, Big Sunday finds ways for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to help out in their communities. For David Levinson, the former screenwriter and father of three who founded the organization two decades ago, philanthropy has always been a family affair. “I get my kids involved, I get my mom involved,” he says. “Absolutely everybody has some way that they can help somebody else.” On December 9, the organization will host a sing-along at its office at 6111 Melrose Avenue for folks from the community who need a little extra holiday cheer. It will also be collecting toys, food, and coats. Here are a few more ideas from Levinson about other ways the whole household can start giving back.

have a great setup where you can go and make a special meal for the families. Often they’re from other countries and stay for a long time while their kids are getting treatment. It’s not just the kid who’s hurting but also the parents, and siblings in particular sometimes get lost in the shuffle. You can make dinner for them, maybe bring some games, and all sit down to eat together.”

THROW A PETTING ZOO PARTY.

PICK UP SOM E T RASH.

“Get a bunch of families together, have everyone pitch in 25 bucks, and bring a petting zoo to a group home that has kids, like Comunidad Cesar Chavez in East L.A., Alexandria House near Koreatown, or Good Shepherd Center near downtown. When you contact the caseworker, I think it’s really helpful to say, ‘This is what we’d like to do, what do your families like?’

An event like that should be good for everybody.”

“Friends of the L.A. River does cleanups, and there’s Heal the Bay down at the beach. There are also some areas of Los Angeles where the streets really need to be cleaned up. Go with a couple other families, get some garbage bags and plastic gloves, and just throw the stuff out. Then everybody goes out for a pizza afterward. Just be respectful if you find a homeless person’s belongings.”

C O OK A FAM I LY DI NNE R.

HANG W I T H T H E E LDE R LY.

“Ronald McDonald House is for families who have a very ill child. They

“One thing that’s great for families is to visit seniors. People in retirement

56 L A M AG . C O M/G I V E L O SA N G E L E S

homes and assisted living love the company of younger people, and so many of them are neglected by our society. You can go and play a game, have a conversation, or read books together. We like to have some people go sing to the seniors. And there are a number of Christmas dinners, like the Veterans Holiday Celebration at Whittier Narrows and the Laugh Factory in Hollywood.”

HOW TO HELP Check out Big Sunday’s community calendar at bigsunday.org for more ways to do good. And if you need help organizing your own volunteer event, don’t hesitate to call them at 323-549-9944.

Food is a fundamental necessity for human life. As one of the largest, multi-concept restaurant operators in the world, MGM Resorts makes it our responsibility to find ways to safely donate un-served food and help address food insecurity in the communities in which we operate. From restaurants to events and from minibars to warehouses, we are partnering with local non-profits such as Three Square Food Bank to create a program that helps feed thousands of residents in the local area. When it comes to food, we have one mission: Feed more people. Waste less food. Learn more about our commitment to fighting hunger and ways to help at mgmresorts.com/csr.

D I V E R S I T Y A N D I N C L U S I O N • C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T • E N V I R O N M E N TA L S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y