Los Angeles Magazine

Los Angeles is described as 72 suburbs in search of a city. The insinuation is that this town is a broken tapestry of indifferent fiefdoms, even though L.A. has proven again and again that a large metropolis can feel like a community with a heart. Home to tens of thousands of nonprofit organizations, with a citizenry donating $11.2 billion this year, the city consistently lands near the top of all philanthropic lists.

In our fifth edition of Give Los Angeles, we sit down with one of comedy’s great benefactors, Laugh Factory founder Jamie Masada, who’s been helping those in need for decades, be it providing free holiday dinners or mentoring up-and-coming comics from underprivileged backgrounds, among them comedian and fellow philanthropist Tiffany Haddish. Elsewhere, we share stories of Skid Row’s most vulnerable in a series of portraits by photographer Suzanne Stein, and the story of two start-ups helping Californians rebuild after this year’s wildfires. Be sure to check out our recommendations on where to volunteer. You’ll be glad you did.

Josef Vann
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER