LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) announced today that it is awarding over $1 million to support organizations addressing communities impacted by the pandemic and social injustice. Despite unprecedented times, LADF Gives, its annual grantmaking program, continues to offer nonprofits support to address root causes of our city’s most pressing problems. Earlier this year, LADF released a COVID-19 Grantee Needs Assessment revealing nonprofits require increased flexibility during the current pandemic and highlighting support for dire issues impacting the most vulnerable populations. Grantmaking to-date includes 61% to homelessness, foster care, and food insecurity, and 28% to education including providing access to technology. 

“Our nonprofit partners are on the ground doing significant work to uplift neglected communities,” said Chaitali Gala Mehta, LADF Chief Operating Officer. “The impact of the pandemic and ongoing racial injustice has redirected our charitable dollars in 2020 to organizations that are supporting Angelenos in dire need. Our commitment to investing in local nonprofits continues during a time when every dollar counts.” 

Grants to new nonprofit partners will help provide wrap-around services for transition-age youth, foster youth, and families experiencing homelessness. Renewed grants include supports for teachers and low-income students as they navigate distance learning. Additional awards prioritize basic essentials, civic engagement, and social justice during this challenging time.

Grant highlights include:

· Great Public Schools Now - One Family LA- $15,000 to provide direct cash assistance to cover basic necessities to 40 families who have experienced a hardship due to COVID-19.

· The Not Impossible Foundation – Hunger Not Impossible - $10,500 to provide 1,500 meals for Dodgers RBI families in Compton facing food insecurity.

· Minds Matter LA- $20,000 to support college access and success programming for 140 high-achieving, dedicated students who face significant barriers to their educational success.

· Teach for America LA- $20,000 to support over 190 corps member teachers, impacting over 40,000 youth through distance learning.

· Students Run LA (and TheCivics Center) - $20,000 to support civic engagement through voter registration for 3,000 high school students and their communities.

· New Earth Organization- $15,000 to support juvenile reentry, education programming, and wrap-around services for 100 underserved youth ages 13-25.

· Extraordinary Families - $15,000 to support Up4Youth in caring for 100 vulnerable current and former foster youth as they make the critical transition to adulthood and self-sufficiency.

· McKinley Children’s Center - $10,000 to provide devices such as Chromebooks and educational licenses for 160 abused, abandoned, and neglected youth through distance learning and wrap-around services.

· Friends of the Children Los Angeles - $10,000 to support mentorship and basic essentials for 108 youth affected by the foster care system.

· LA Family Housing- $15,000 to provide food, clothing, and basic necessities for 400 families experiencing homelessness.

· Kershaw’s Challenge (and the Dream Center)- $10,000 to provide backpacks, school supplies, and basic essentials to 3,700 youth.

· The ALLIANCE – Play Equity Fund - $500,000 to support the Play Equity Fund to advocate for social justice, address disparities, and take actions to help end racial inequality.

An additional $98,000 in immediate COVID-19 relief funds were awarded to organizations like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Brotherhood Crusade, My Friend’s Place, Baby2Baby, and Library Foundation of Los Angeles. LADF continues to use its platform to showcase nonprofit partners/grantees, support community leaders, share nonprofit information, educational programs and community resources.   

About the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation:

ESPN’s Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation is bigger than baseball with ambitions to be the city’s premier charity. We envision a city where everyone regardless of zip code has the opportunity to thrive. We are tackling the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. Since 1995, we have invested more than $30 million in programs and grants to nonprofits, and fundraising has increased by 1,000% since 2012. That growth has enabled us to do more.