Welcome to the Westside Coalition

Learn More about WC

The Westside Coalition is an alliance of 81  organizations, public agencies, faith communities and individual and families, all committed to working collaboratively on issues of housing, hunger and health through service coordination, public education and advocacy. 

The Westside Coalition is a non-profit volunteer organization whose monthly Coalition meetings take place at Mount Olive Lutheran Church.

​The coalition was founded in 1982 to serve the Westside of Los Angeles County and is reportedly the oldest coalition in the county working on behalf of the poor and homeless. Since that time the Westside Coalition (Formerly the Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition) merged with the Westside Health Coalition. Throughout its history, the Westside Coalition has proven to be an effective tool in providing collaborative, high-quality programs and services for those in need in our community.

Although individual agencies have the ability to provide separate services for people in need, the efforts of the Westside Coalition help coordinate all services on the Westside in order to provide a true continuum of service care for the community. Members work together to provide services that include initial intake and service referrals; showers, food and clothing; on-going case management; emergency, transitional and permanent housing; medical care; mental health treatment; HIV medical and social services; job training and placement; and substance abuse treatment. The coalition has been instrumental in advocating for low income and homeless people at the local, state and national levels.

Coalition Monthly Meetings


We offer hybrid meetings for our monthly Coalition meeting. They are in-person at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church and also offer Zoom to those that cannot attend in person.  Contact us to be added to our email group (link below) and you will receive notifications and links about the Coalition meetings. 
All are welcome, you don't need to be a member to visit the monthly Coalition meetings.


​​Contact Us: info@westsidecoalitionla.org

Your next
Westside Coalition Meeting is:

Healthcare Part 1 - Medi-Cal
May 21st
9:00 - 10:30am
Mt Olive Church
1343 Ocean Park Bl.
Santa Monica, 90405
RSVP
​
How can we help our clients navigate the changes to Medi-Cal in 2026?  
There are more changes this year than ever before, but thankfully our members who form the safety net in SPA 5 can walk us through what is happening with Medi\-Cal and how to inform your clients.    
Carmila Driaza-Guzman and Jessica Torres-Montoya from the Westside Family Health Center will set up the current Medi-Cal picture and ways for you to direct your clients to services, and the steps they need to take to keep their benefits. Christina Crawford from Providence St. Johns, and a representative from Venice Family Clinic will be there to tell you about their process as well.
Bring your questions and information as there will be time for both at the end.
See you there😊
***
Did you miss our April 16th meeting?
If so, please find that information here.
Our topic was on
Food Insecurity Forum
  66 of us attended the Westside Coalition discussion on collaboration and needs around food insecurity last week. As usual, members made connections, got information, and left with something they can use. 
Even in the short time dozens of issues were brought up on the general topics of:
What is in the Way
Gaps & Bottlenecks
Outreach & Expanding Community Involvement
Ideas for Collaboration
But what is next?
IF you are ready to sign on, or need more information about the next planning session, Volunteer Collective and the Westside Coalition can start the Campaign To End Food Insecurity with some action steps, and collaboration ideas in the coming weeks.
1 - Recruiting support and staff to create the information hub for nonprofits and clients and volunteers.
2 - Sending volunteers to the service providers that need help.
3 - Exploring the options for volunteers to help with Calfresh sign ups.
4 - Convening committee, or planning board, to set the agenda for the next food insecurity collaboration meeting to decide on future steps, and invite all those who missed the opening discussion, to hear about our collaboration.

Are you in? 
Let us know by responding to this email: [email protected]

We do need your survey about the food insecurity meeting and it can be submitted below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScouLAC29_GI0OrtYbTHQVnhIaBeK5OCORJXDKWq76tRPVtew/viewform

The following is a link to the WSC April 16th meeting recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYYKxGJ7mv4

 To receive emails from the Westside Coalition email us at: ​[email protected]

​We will keep you up to date on what the Westside Coalition is doing, what meetings are coming up, issues of advocacy, etc. Just email us at the address above and we will put you on the list.


​Join Us!

Become a member of​ the
​Westside Coalition!

​Or renew your membership,
Even individuals and families can become members!
​
To learn more about the benefits of being a coalition
​member. 
​click here. ​​

We look forward to seeing you at meetings and having the opportunity to partner with you for the sake of our community.

Now You Can Donate Through Venmo!
@W-Coalition

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