Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles Announces Major Donation From East West Bank Foundation
The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles is announcing a $100,000 gift from the East West Bank Foundation, which will be used to fund the eviction-prevention program We Are L.A. The Mayor’s Fund launched We Are L.A. to support Mayor Karen Bass’ effort to confront Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis.
“In order to confront this crisis, we must bring unhoused Angelenos inside but also at the same time do all that we can to prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “This generous gift from the East West Bank Foundation will support theMayor’s Fund in its groundbreaking work in homelessness prevention, which has reached thousands of Angelenos at risk of losing their homes over the past year. Together with locked arms, we will continue our work to provide resources for the people of Los Angeles.”
Since its creation, We Are L.A. has engaged more than 185,000 Angelenos. In partnership with Groundworks, Esperanza Community Housing, and St. John’s Community Health, We Are LA’s outreach teams go door-to-door trying to reach individuals that public records indicate are in danger of eviction. We Are L.A. has also operated two resource clinics that have engaged more than 200 people, and it plans to host more.
“The East West Bank Foundation is proud to support the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles and its We Are L.A. program,” said Dominic Ng, Chairman and CEO of East West Bank. “As an institution founded over five decades ago in the city of L.A. to serve our community, we know it is critical to support Mayor Bass and the MFLA team in addressing the homelessness crisis in our beloved city.”
Once We Are L.A. engages with a person or family, it connects them to every resource available that could enable them to stretch their resources further. It helps them sign up for food, medical, transportation, and when possible, even cash assistance.
It also provides households with legal information about the eviction process, including helping people who have been served with Unlawful Detainer Notices respond in court within five business days – a vital step for anyone who wants to contest their eviction. We Are L.A. also has hosted several legal clinics and in some cases can connect people with pro bono legal assistance.
“We created We Are L.A. to connect anyone facing eviction to all of the resources available to them, both from the nonprofit and public sectors. The first step in ending the homelessness crisis is preventing more people from becoming homeless in the first place,” said Conway Collis, President and CEO of the Mayor’s Fund. “This generous gift from the East West Bank Foundation will allow us to reach thousands more Angelenos, many who simply need a little extra help to stay in their homes.”
“As a board member of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, I have seen firsthand the important work of the We Are L.A. program,” said Travis Kiyota, President of the East West Bank Foundation. “It is an honor to support Conway Collis and the entire MFLA team who are working tirelessly to help our fellow Angelenos stay in their homes.”
More information about the We Are L.A. effort is available at www.MayorsFundLA.org.
About The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles
The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving life for all Angelenos. Uniquely positioned at the crossroads of local government, business, philanthropy and nonprofits, the Fund facilitates communication and collaboration between the public and private sectors to find solutions to Los Angeles’ most complex challenges. It was established in 2014 as a permanent resource for Los Angeles residents that spans across mayoral administrations. Information at: www.MayorsFundLA.org.
About the East West Bank Foundation
The East West Bank Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization and the philanthropic arm of East West Bank. Through collaborative partnerships, the Foundation’s grants strengthen the community by supporting initiatives in affordable housing, small business technical assistance, diversity and anti-discrimination, advocacy, cultural and arts, economic development, and other broad-based causes. In working alongside nonprofit partners, the East West Bank Foundation strives to build bridges of opportunity for everyone to reach further.