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LOS ANGELES—Mayor Eric Garcetti today signed a proclamation declaring December 1, 2015, “Giving Tuesday” in Los Angeles.

Giving Tuesday is a global celebration dedicated to supporting those in need. Observed each year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving — people around the world — families, nonprofits, businesses, community organizations, and students — unite for a common purpose: to celebrate generosity and give back to their communities.

The proclamation states that Giving Tuesday “is a celebration and recognition of nonprofit organizations where people come together, give back, and support a cause they care about.”

“The holiday season is a time to deepen our commitment to helping those who are less fortunate, and today I am asking all Angelenos to step up and give back,” said Mayor Garcetti. “If we can lift up those in need, and pick up those left behind, then we can live up to the best of our ideals.”

In honor of Giving Tuesday, Mayor Garcetti will support the #HomesForHeroes campaign — an effort by the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles to help 500 formerly homeless veterans turn a house into a home before the end of the year, by supplying them with security deposits, furniture, and other essentials.

During a celebration held today at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall, Mayor Garcetti was joined by two formerly homeless U.S. Navy veterans — Lakiesha Anthony and Laura Estrada.

On Veterans Day 2015, Mayor Garcetti helped move furniture, supplied by the #HomesForHeroes campaign, into Ms. Anthony’s new apartment — which she secured with help from her VA Housing Specialist. Today, the Mayor accompanied Ms. Anthony to a Veterans WorkSource Center, where an Employment Specialist helped her begin the search for a job.

Ms. Estrada is now employed as a Supportive Services for Veteran Families case manager for the organization U.S. Vets, where she helps place homeless veterans into permanent housing.

“Lakiesha is one of countless veterans who show that the Housing First model — which shapes this city’s entire philosophy toward addressing homelessness — works,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Housing dramatically increases the likelihood of employment and a stable future.”

Through collaborative efforts that stretch across government entities, homeless services agencies, and nonprofit organizations, 5,557 veterans have been housed in Los Angeles since January 1, 2014.

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