First published in the Dec. 18 print issue of the Glendale News Press.
Social Justice Partners L.A. announced this week that Cedars-Sinai and United Way of Greater Los Angeles have donated more than $2.5 million to fund stipends for 53 organizations involved in providing aid to the county’s homeless population.
These funds will provide cash stipends between $500-$1,500 to more than 3,000 homeless sector frontline workers in the coming months, according to SJPLA. The YWCA Glendale and Pasadena said it will be one of the organizations whose workers receive these stipends.
“Los Angeles’ homeless crisis is exacerbated by the anxiety, burnout, fatigue and turnover of frontline workers who care for our unhoused neighbors,” SJPLA said in a statement. “These workers have been navigating the dual pressure of feeling the stressors of their clients while supporting themselves and their families through a pandemic. Through this funding, we are providing some financial relief for the lowest-paid workers in the sector whose lives have been at the greatest risk.”
The donation is formally being made to the Supporting Frontline Workers Fund, a two-year effort between SJPLA’s Racial Equity in Homelessness Initiative and Cedars-Sinai to invest in the care and retention of workers in the homeless response sector. The fund initially offered $1 million from Cedars-Sinai’s investment, and United Way added $1.55 million to support additional workers.
