Building a Safer, Stronger West L.A.
SINCE 2013, FRIENDS OF WEST L.A. HAS DONATED OVER $3,670,000 TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS, PARKS, LIBRARIES, POLICE, AND FIREFIGHTERS.
$3,668,767.80
Direct Facility Contributions
14
Core Facilities Supported
85%
Direct Program Efficiency
30+
Fire Stations Assisted
FOWLA Programs
Our core charitable initiatives supporting youth, seniors, and public infrastructure.
Community & Youth Initiatives
Fostering a vibrant community through direct support of parks, libraries, and youth programs.
- Dream Games: Bringing diverse youth (ages 5-12) together for sports, mentorship, and meals.
- Senior Sweets: Providing joy, desserts, and social connection for seniors at Westwood Senior Living.
- Westside Thanksgiving: Partnering to provide free dinners and essential items for those in need.
- Facility Renovation: $26,000 to Westwood Branch Library and $20,000 to LAPD West Bureau Community Room.
Program Highlights
- 13th Annual Dream Games [cite: 65]
- $4.25M Core Allocations (17 Yrs) [cite: 59]
- Recurring Senior Events
SCHOOLS
FOWLA has proudly donated over $1.4 million to four elementary schools and $568,000 to two middle schools which has supported additional staff and new resources for students.
PARKS
FOWLA has proudly contributed over $820,000 to three recreational facilities, fostering the growth of new materials, events, programs, and resources for members and park attendees.
LIBRARIES
FOWLA has proudly contributed over $200,000 to two libraries providing new books and materials, a new children’s reading space, and an outdoor community space.
POLICE
FOWLA proudly supports the Los Angeles Police Department donating over $390,000 to the West Los Angeles Community Police Station by renovating their community break room, creating outdoor seating, and providing additional outdoor storage.
FIREFIGHTERS
FOWLA proudly supports the Los Angeles Fire Department, contributing $300,000 to four fire stations in West Los Angeles. Our commitment involves replacing entire kitchens, providing new washers and dryers, and installing mesh wifi router systems.
DREAM GAMES
Support our annual event in partnership with the Department of Recreation and Parks. LEARN MOREDONATE
Friends of West L.A. offers funding for police & fire stations, schools, parks and libraries without any restrictions, bureaucratic processes, and with a quick response time. For more information on the functioning of FOWLA, please click on the “About FOWLA” option in the menu.
Strategic Partnerships
We partner with leading advocacy groups to maximize community safety.
Responders First
FOWLA acts as the fiscal sponsor for Responders First, providing the operational safety net for LAFD & LAPD[cite: 129]. We manage the charitable funds that accelerate resource delivery.
Key Initiatives Funded:
- Micro-Grants: Quarterly grants up to $10,000 for station-specific needs.
- Wellness: Infrared saunas and cold plunges to detox and protect responder health.
- Connectivity: Starlink backup systems for hardened communications.
2025 Fund Allocation
- 21 Wash Towers
- 14 Cold Plunges
- $15k+ Fundraising for Station 62 Gym