Giving in Los Angeles

Overview

Lestonnac Free Clinic provides medical, dental, vision and surgical care to low-income uninsured people across Southern California. Its clinics and mobile services connect patients with volunteer clinicians, glasses and treatment for painful or disabling conditions. This report models health and household-resource benefits reaching Los Angeles and Orange County residents.

Cost-effectiveness

About $1,900 per completed course of medical, dental, vision or surgical care.^[1] We estimate $802K per DALY.^[2] Nonprofit yearly budget is $7.1M.^[3]

Why investigate

Free clinical care can relieve symptoms, improve vision and restore everyday function.

Main reservation

Current unique patients, clinical mix and outcomes are not measured in the available records; the estimate relies on explicit planning judgments.

Organization and research

Overview

Coalition for Clean Air advocates for cleaner transportation and freight, community air monitoring and public education. Its EPA-funded AirAware partnership operates at two YMCA facilities within Los Angeles County, alongside a Corona-Norco site outside this edition. Its ports work seeks stronger emissions controls and implementation for residents exposed to freight pollution.

Cost-effectiveness

We estimate $1.0M per DALY.^[1] Nonprofit yearly budget is $2M.^[2]

Why investigate

Local reports identify concrete filtration and operating constraints rather than counting publicity as health outcomes.

Main reservation

The additional policy probability, local exposed cohort, pollution reduction and gift response remain unmeasured judgments.

Organization and research

Overview

Hunger Action Los Angeles provides nutrition incentives, food delivery, benefit access and anti-hunger organizing. Market Match helps eligible shoppers obtain produce, while other HALA services remain outside this quantified pathway. The conditional comparison now includes nutrition health and signed household food resources, actual travel costs and lost pay.

Cost-effectiveness

About $2.4 to provide $1 in matching funds for food.^[1] We estimate $1.0M per DALY.^[2] Nonprofit yearly budget is $2.2M.^[3]

Why investigate

Original returns distinguish redeemed incentives from shoppers’ existing CalFresh spending and disclose three years of whole-recipient expenses.

Main reservation

Transactions and new customers do not identify current unique annual households or their residence.

Organization and research

Overview

Vital Access Care Foundation offers Vietnamese-language cancer and hepatitis screening, navigation and patient support in Orange County, inside the LA metro area. It also connects residents to food, insurance and public-benefit services; its 2024 return reports 2,499 mixed screening/vaccination activities and 282 cancer patients assisted. It helps residents navigate medical care in their own language, including hepatitis B services where timely follow-up can prevent serious liver disease.

Cost-effectiveness

About $18K per additional person receiving cancer or hepatitis services.^[1] We estimate $2.1M per DALY.^[2] Nonprofit yearly budget is $1.5M.^[3]

Why investigate

Bilingual screening and navigation can turn an otherwise missed infection into monitoring, treatment or vaccination.

Main reservation

Current unique hepatitis tests, completed treatment and incremental cancer-stage outcomes are not reported.

Organization and research