LOS ANGELES — Two organizations Monday donated a combined $2.8 million to support the Mayor's Fund of Los Angeles, a nonprofit closely associated with Mayor Karen Bass and efforts to prevent evictions and homelessness.

What You Need To Know

  • The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation gave $1.5 million and Health Net gave $1.3 million to invest in the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles' We Are LA program

  • We Are LA program aims to prevent evictions by connecting renters with resources

  • The two organizations join L.A. Care Health Plan, which made previous investments totaling $1.8 million, as the program's largest donors

  • The Mayor's Fund has served more than 32,000 individuals and families to help them avoid eviction and stay housed

The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation gave $1.5 million and Health Net gave $1.3 million to invest in the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles' We Are LA program, which aims to prevent evictions by connecting renters with resources. On its website, the nonprofit, which is overseen by an independent board of directors, noted it has helped more than 411,000 at-risk Angelenos, and provided targeted outreach to people who have received notices of intended eviction.

"We must bring unhoused Angelenos inside while doing all that we can to prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place, and that means local government partnering with businesses and philanthropists across the city to confront this crisis," Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.

The two organizations join LA Care Health Plan, which made previous investments totaling $1.8 million, as the program's largest donors. LA Care Health Plan's donation helped the program off the ground.

Bass recognized LA Care Health Plan's "generous donation" and commended The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation and Health Net for taking a similar step and joining the effort.

"This is not a fight we will win if private philanthropy does not lock arms with us in this effort to provide the life-saving resources that Angelenos deserve," Bass said in a statement. "Thank you to our philanthropic partners for locking arms and partnering with us to confront the greatest challenge facing our city."

On top of outreach, the We Are LA program offers a hotline and organizes tenant resource clinics to help reach anyone who may face eviction. A member of the program will connect with a person in need of help, then a caseworker assesses all of the resources available to that individual and helps them through the process of applying for government, other charitable aid and even legal services.

"There were nearly 6,000 notices of eviction filed in March alone," President and CEO Conway Collis of the Mayor's Fund said in a statement. "These are life-saving gifts that will help us prevent thousands of Angelenos — including families and children — from falling into homelessness."

The Mayor's Fund has served more than 32,000 individuals and families to help them avoid eviction and stay housed. Additionally, the nonprofit recently formed a partnership with U.S. VETS to help service veterans in Los Angeles and is beginning new programs to directly serve vulnerable populations, like former foster youth.

"The Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation is proud to support Mayor Karen Bass' emergency homelessness plan with We Are LA and their efforts to reach out to hundreds of thousands of Angelenos facing the threat of eviction and connecting them to services and support," Linda Hope, chair and CEO of the Bob & Dolores Hope Foundation, said in a statement.

Hope also thanked the organization for assisting veterans, an issue that was near and dear to her parents' hearts.

"My mom and dad always had a heartfelt devotion and concern for those individuals who have and continue to serve our country," Hope said in a statement. "They believed that prevention was an intricate step in any effort to help those at risk, and their foundation was created, in part, with the hope of meeting the needs of all those individuals."

The Mayor's Fund created the program more than eight months ago. It has also helped residents in need with programs such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh and earned income tax credits, officials said. More than 350 pro bono attorneys provide legal information and defense as well.

"Housing is a critical key to health, with research showing that housing stability, quality, safety and affordability all affect our physical and mental health outcomes," Martha Santana-Chin, president of Medi-Cal and Medicare at Health Net, said in a statement.

She added, "Moreover, homelessness significantly undermines preventive health measures and exacerbates existing health issues."