Helpful Links

Social Services

The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Community Center, offers many services including:  youth programs and education and computer training, medical care, employment training and placement services, presenting cultural arts, and extensive HIV/AIDS related services.  In addition, the organization houses one of the largest HIV/AIDS drug-related pharmacies.  See below for specific family, health, anti-violence and senior programs. www.laglc.org

Van Ness Recovery House, meets the critical and expanding needs of the Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender community for alcohol and drug addiction recovery, www.vnrh.org

Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, meeting the needs of individuals, families, children and seniors with more than 40 programs in 26 locations that provide counseling services, medical assistance, immigration and citizenship, nutrition programs, transportation and a community burial program, www.jfsla.org

Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, is the voice of Jewish Los Angeles, and the community building at 6505 Wilshire Boulevard is the central address of Jewish life for some 520,000 Jews in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Federation also maintains offices in West Hills, serving the Five Valley area and Torrance, serving the South Bay. The Federation is the central planning, coordinating and fundraising body for 18 local and international agencies that offer the entire community a broad range of humanitarian programs. The United Jewish Fund, the annual fundraising campaign, supports these programs and is the largest single year-round fundraising endeavor in the Jewish community, www.jewishla.com

Jewish Free Loan Association, administers interest-free loans to families with financial problems, undergraduate and graduate students, the sick and disabled, frail elderly and entrepreneurs.  Loans are available to support adoptions, help victims of domestic violence, fund Jewish residential camping and Israel experiences for teens and college-age young adults, housing, cars and car repair, medical, dental and other emergencies, www.jfla.org

Jewish Vocational Service, helps the people of Los Angeles County find the right career, land a better job and gain skills, www.jvsla.org

MAZON: A Jewish Reponse to Hunger: raises funds for eradicating hunger, www.mazon.org

SOVA Food Pantry Program, helps by providing free groceries, including kosher products when requested and distributing traditional holiday foods for Jewish holidays and Thanksgiving, www.jfsla.org/sova

Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services, a multi-service agency that provides outreach, residential and treatment services to self-identified gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender youth, minors questioning their sexual orientation and HIV-infected or impacted teens, www.glassla.org

Civil Rights/Human Rights

Christopher Street West / LA Pride, proudly claiming their place in the movement, CSW honors the struggle and advocates for equality and acceptance by celebrating our diverse community, and by standing as a world leader in the LGBT movement, www.lapride.org

Equality California, Equality California and its sister organizations, Equality California Institute and Equality California PAC, share a common mission to ensure and promote dignity, safety and equality for all of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians, www.eqca.org

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), civil rights organization that supports  grassroots organizing and advocacy, www.thetaskforce.org

Human Rights Campaign (HRC), works to end discrimination, secure equal rights and protect the health and safety of all Americans.  HRC lobbies the federal government on gay, lesbian, and AIDS issues, www.hrc.org

Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the leading national political organization that identifies, trains and supports open lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender candidates and officials. The only national organization committed to increasing the number of openly gay and lesbian public officials at federal, state and local levels of government, ww.victoryfund.org

Lambda Legal, a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, the transgendered, and people with HIV or AIDS through impact litigation, education and policy work, www.lambdalegal.org 

Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, promoting fair, accurate and inclusive representation in the media, www.glaad.org

Anti-Defamation League, combats anti-Semitism and secures equal justice and fair treatment for all citizens through direct action, law and educational programs, www.adla.org

National Center for Lesbian Rights, a national legal resource center with a primary commitment to advancing the rights and safety of lesbians and their families through a program of litigation, public policy advocacy, free legal advice and counseling, and public education, www.nclrights.org

Marriage

Equality for All, www.equalityforall.com

Jews for Marriage Equality, www.jewsformarriageequality.org

Freedom to Marry Coalition, a nationwide coalition committed to winning and keeping the freedom to marry for same-gender couples,  (already on Kol Ami web site), www.freedomtomarry.org and www.civilmarriage.org

Health/AIDS/Breast Cancer

AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the nation’s largest AIDS service organizations, provides direct services to more than 10,000 men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County, www.apla.org

AIDS Service Center, the second largest AIDS service provider in Los Angeles county, develops and delivers comprehensive and innovative services and advocacy for individuals and families (throughout Los Angeles County) impacted by, and at risk for, HIV/AIDS, www.aidsservicecenter.org

Being Alive, an organization of and for people with HIV/AIDS, www.beingalivela.org

Beit T’Shuvah, is a residential therapeutic community, a clean and sober living environment, that exemplifies Jewish ethical and moral values, www.tshuvah.org

Israel Cancer Research Fund, the largest single source of private funds for cancer research in Israel and through its research activities seeks to stem the exodus of Israeli cancer researchers, www.icrfonline.org

Project Chicken Soup, a volunteer organization which delivers fresh cooked kosher meals two Sundays each month to men, women and childrens with HIV/AIDS, www.projectchickensoup.org

Wendy’s Hope, reaching out to lesbians with cancer and other life-threatening diseases.  After Jacqueline Welter lost her partner, Kol Ami member Wendy Sukman, to breast cancer, Wendy’s Hope, was launched, www.lashanti.org

Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic of the Gay and Lesbian Center, provides comprehensive HIV/AIDS health care services to HIV positive patients—especially gay men, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender individuals—without financial means to access appropriate care elsewhere, www.laglc.org

Audre Lorde Lesbian Health Clinic of the Gay and Lesbian Center, provides health care services, education, psychosocial support, and community outreach in a lesbian-friendly environment that encourages women to take an active role in their health care decisions, www.laglc.org

Support

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexuals and transgendered persons, as well as their families and friends through support, education and advocacy, www.pflagla.org

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters, provides volunteer Big Brothers and Sisters for Jewish children 6 – 18 years old living in single parent homes, including a program that matches disabled children with similarly disabled Big Brothers or Sisters, www.jbbbsla.org

Jewish Hospice Project – Los Angeles, end-of-life specialists provide spiritual care and guidance to the dying and their families, www.jewishhospicela.org

STOP Domestic Violence Program of the Gay and Lesbian Center services include survivors' groups, a court-approved batterers' treatment program, anger management groups, crises counseling, individual counseling, shelter and other resource referrals and LGBT domestic violence training, education and consultation, www.laglc.org/section05/S0512.htm

Jewish Family Service/Family Violence and Abuse Programs: for individuals who are victims of a violent relationship, providing a 24 hour hotline, emergency and transitional shelter, counseling and other services for women and their children, www.jfsla.org

Educational

Hebrew Union College (HUC-JIR), to sensitize HUC students and alumni to the needs of lesbian and gay Jews and to offer students and alumni on-line resources and communication, www.huc.edu/news/vrc.html

Hebrew Union College (HUC), the nation’s oldest institution of higher Jewish education and the professional leadership development center of Reform Judaism, www.huc.edu

Los Angeles Hillel Council, is the Jewish presence on campus at colleges and universities, providing a program of education, social and religious activities, counseling and cultural events to more than 30,000 students as well as faculty, www.hillel.org

Israel

Consulate General of the State of Israel, the official diplomatic representative to seven states in the southwestern United States including California, www.israelemb.org/la 

Family and Parenting

Pop Luck Club, an organization of gay dads that is the largest known of its kind in the world, with hundreds of families and continued strong growth. Its mission is to advance the well-being of gay prospective parents, gay parents, and their children through mutual support, community collaboration, and public understanding, www.popluckclub.org

Growing Generations, the oldest and largest surrogacy and egg donation firm dedicated to serving the gay and lesbian community, www.growinggenerations.com

Family Equality Council, Through strategic initiatives, groundbreaking programs and legislative battles, Family Pride is dedicated to securing equality for all loving families. In support and pursuit of love, justice, family, and equality, we are committed to making change, sharing information, and building community. www.familyequality.com

Family Services Program of the Gay and Lesbian Center is designed to support the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families, www.laglc.org

Seniors

Senior Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing, an equal housing opportunity provider and supports the spirit and intent of all local, state and federal fair housing laws for all residents without regard to color, race, religion, sex, marital status, mental or physical disability, age, familial status, sexual orientation or national origin.  GLEH is committed to building social services centers for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community to operate in buildings it develops.  GLEH works with public agencies to develop housing opportunities for HIV/AIDS and certain other "at risk" populations, www.gleh.org

Company of Older Lesbians (COOL), provides a safe, casual and congenial atmosphere where older lesbians can enjoy themselves and each other, www.coolesbians.org

Jewish Homes for the Aging, a residential care and nursing home for 700 Jewish elderly, www.jha.org

Menorah Housing Foundation, established to meet the growing need for low-cost housing for seniors and the disabled, www.menorahhousing.org

The Senior Program of the Gay and Lesbian Center offers programs to the senior community that provides lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors with opportunities for peer and community interaction and social and recreational activities. Health education and HIV/AIDS prevention classes are offered, and seniors can get assistance with important legal issues such as creating a living will, power of attorney, or combating age discrimination and elder abuse, www.laglc.org/section12/S1201.htm

The Gay & Lesbian Center Village at Ed Gould Plaza, senior activities at the Village at Ed Gould Plaza are programs of the Shirley Gould Senior Center, www.la4seniors.com

City of West Hollywood

West Hollywood City Hall – City Services, www.weho.org

West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, facilitates an environment where businesses and residents flourish, www.wehochamber.org