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Los Angeles Metro Area Wellbeing Economy Directory

A comprehensive resource for organizations and businesses that prioritize people and planet alongside profit, keeping wealth local, operating cooperatively, and building community connections.

ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES

Credit Unions & Community Banks

Los Angeles Federal Credit Union (LAFCU)

  • Address: 6801 Eastern Ave, Bell Gardens, CA 90201
  • Phone: (323) 771-3400
  • Website: https://www.lafcu.org/
  • Email: Contact form on website
  • Hours: M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Sat 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Services: Full-service credit union, auto loans, mortgages, business services
  • Membership: Open to residents, employees, or those who worship in LA County

USC Credit Union

  • Address: Multiple branches in LA and Orange Counties
  • Phone: (213) 821-6800
  • Website: https://www.usccreditunion.org/
  • Email: Contact form available
  • Special Focus: CDFI-certified, Juntos Avanzamos designation for Latino community empowerment
  • Services: Financial inclusion, business accounts, financial literacy programs

California Credit Union (CCU)

  • Address: Multiple branches across LA, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura counties
  • Phone: (877) 275-4228
  • Website: https://www.ccu.com/
  • Services: Personal and business banking, community partnerships

LA Financial Credit Union

  • Address: Multiple locations in LA County
  • Phone: (800) 894-4328
  • Website: https://www.lafinancial.org/
  • Email: Contact form available
  • Note: Merging with CU SoCal as of June 2025
  • Services: 88 years serving LA community, full banking services

Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union (LAPFCU)

  • Website: https://lapfcu.org/
  • Focus: Serving law enforcement community
  • Services: Banking, loans, financial services for police and related personnel

University Credit Union (UCU)

  • Website: https://www.ucu.org
  • Phone: Contact form available
  • Membership: Faculty, staff, students, alumni of UCLA, LMU, Pepperdine, SCU, and other universities
  • Services: 70+ years serving university communities

Logix Federal Credit Union

  • Phone: Customer service available
  • Website: https://www.logixbanking.com/
  • Coverage: Los Angeles and Ventura Counties
  • Focus: Supporting local nonprofits, community education, low-cost services

Southland Credit Union

Worker Cooperatives & Worker-Owned Businesses

LA Co-op Lab

  • Address: 1625 5th Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90019
  • Phone: (323) 285-3808
  • Website: https://lacooplab.com/
  • Email: gilda@lacooplab.com (for shop inquiries)
  • Social Media:
    • Instagram: @l.a.cooplab
    • Facebook: @lacooplab
    • Twitter: @lacooplab
    • LinkedIn: L.A. Co-op Lab
  • Founded: 2015
  • Services: Education, coaching, financing, network building for worker cooperatives
  • Focus: Building LA's capacity for worker ownership as pathway to equitable economy
  • Programs: Free office hours, in-depth coaching, online classes, workshops, Academy courses

Proof Bakery (Worker Cooperative)

  • Type: Worker-owned cooperative bakery
  • Focus: Seasonal creative food using highest quality ingredients
  • Note: Transitioned to worker cooperative in late 2021 through leveraged buyout

Clean Wash Mobile LLC

  • Type: First carwash worker cooperative in the US
  • Parent Organization: CLEAN Carwash Worker Center
  • Services: Fleet services, biodegradable products, reduced water use
  • Website: Through Los Angeles Worker Center Network

Courage Homecare

  • Type: Worker-owned homecare cooperative
  • Parent Organization: Pilipino Workers Center
  • Focus: Transforming homecare industry through worker ownership
  • Services: Compassionate, dependable homecare solutions

COOP LA

  • Address: First commercial space in California comprised entirely of worker cooperatives
  • Businesses:
    • Collective Avenue Coffee
    • De La Luna Catering
    • Salazar Landscaping
    • Semillas Wellness
  • Location: Southeast LA County (Lynwood area)

The Tree Yoga Co-op

  • Location: South Central LA
  • Focus: Yoga school, studio, and wellness hub for Black & Latinx communities

Zeal

  • Type: Black creative agency and social impact studio (worker-owned)
  • Services: Artist development and cultural production

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)

USC Credit Union

  • CDFI Status: Certified Community Development Financial Institution
  • Special Programs: One of only 350 CDFI-certified credit unions nationally
  • Focus: Expanding economic opportunity in neighboring communities

Enterprise Community Loan Fund

  • Type: One of the largest nonprofit CDFIs in the country
  • Website: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/
  • Services: High-impact capital for affordable housing, community facilities
  • Focus: Homes, health centers, schools, grocery stores with healthy food

COMMUNITY SHARING

Community Gardens

Los Angeles Community Garden Council (LACGC)

  • Address: 1110 N Virgil Avenue #381, Los Angeles, CA 90029
  • Email: info.lacgc@gmail.com
  • Website: https://www.lagardencouncil.org/
  • Phone: Contact through email preferred
  • Executive Director: Julie Beals (info.lacgc@gmail.com)
  • Social Media:
    • Instagram: @lagardencouncil
    • Facebook: Los Angeles Community Garden Council
  • Network: 47 diverse neighborhood gardens, 2,000+ members
  • Services: Garden directory, advocacy, networking, technical support
  • Tax ID: 501(c)3 #31-1734705

LA Green Grounds (LAGG)

  • Address: Teaching Garden at Good Earth Community Garden, corner of Boden Street and Carmona Avenue, South LA
  • Email: info@lagreengrounds.org
  • Website: https://www.lagreengrounds.org/
  • Schedule: Volunteer opportunities Tuesdays and Saturdays 10am-noon
  • Focus: Converting lawns to edible landscapes, 37+ edible gardens installed
  • Status: 501(c)3 under fiscal sponsor LACGC

Individual Gardens Examples:

  • Solano Canyon Community Garden: 5-acre space in Elysian Park near Dodger Stadium
  • Crenshaw Community Garden: 1423 Crenshaw Blvd (historic, operating since 1979)
  • Burbank Community Gardens: 1141 North Pass Avenue & 3705 West Clark Avenue

UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program

  • Contact: Valerie Borel at vtborel@ucanr.edu
  • Phone: (626) 586-1986
  • Services: Technical assistance, training, sustainable gardening practices

Maker Spaces & Tool Libraries

Urban Workshop

  • Address: 365-A Clinton Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
  • Phone: (949) 296-2153
  • Website: https://urbanworkshop.net/
  • Hours:
    • Monday-Friday: 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
    • Saturday-Sunday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Type: Membership-based DIY workshop and makerspace
  • Services: 3D printers, laser cutters, welding shop, wood shop, machine shop, CNC mills, textiles, auto shop
  • Membership: $125/month (annual with payments), $1392/year (prepaid), $99/month (student/military)
  • Accreditation: AWS Accredited Test Facility, LA Dept of Building & Safety Approved Testing Agency
  • Note: Actually located in Costa Mesa (Orange County), not Los Angeles proper

Octavia Lab (LA Public Library)

  • Address: 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071 (Lower Level 2)
  • Phone: (213) 228-7150
  • Website: https://www.lapl.org/labs/octavia-lab
  • Hours:
    • Sunday: 1-4 PM
    • Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat: 1-5 PM
    • Wed & Thu: 3:30-7:30 PM
  • Requirements: Library card, photo ID, signed user agreement
  • Equipment: 3D printers, laser cutters, recording studio, digital media stations

Collab MakerSpace

  • Address: North of Downtown Los Angeles
  • Website: https://collabmakerspace.com/
  • Size: 3,000 sq ft
  • Hours: Long-term members have 24-hour access; others 6 AM-midnight
  • Membership: Starting at $225/month
  • Features: Woodshop, metalshop, paint space, tech area, craft space
  • Parking: Free, safe parking available

LA Makerspace

  • Website: https://lamakerspace.org/
  • Email: Contact form available
  • Focus: Non-profit member-driven community space for all ages
  • Programs: Workshops at LA Public Library branches, classes, mentorship

Koreatown Media Lab (LAPL)

  • Type: Makerspace and business center
  • Services: Professional grade computer hardware, software, equipment

Housing Cooperatives & Community Land Trusts

Los Angeles Community Land Trust Coalition

Member CLTs:

El Sereno Community Land Trust (ESCLT)

Trust South LA

  • Focus: Black-led, Black/Brown-focused CLT
  • Area: Southwest, Mid-City and adjacent communities
  • Project: 140 units of affordable housing near Expo/Vermont Metro Station

Beverly/Vermont Community Land Trust

  • Notable Project: Los Angeles Eco Village (since 1993)
  • Location: Koreatown
  • Model: Sustainable living cooperative

Fideicomiso Tierra Libre

  • Focus: Latino/Latinx communities
  • Status: In negotiations for three vacant lots from City of LA

Liberty Community Land Trust

  • Status: Active member of coalition

California Community Land Trust Network

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Environmental Justice Organizations

California Environmental Justice Alliance (CEJA)

  • Website: https://ceja.org/
  • Type: Statewide coalition of grassroots environmental justice organizations
  • Focus: Clean energy access, environmental justice policy

Communities for a Better Environment (CBE)

  • Southern California Offices:
    • Huntington Park: 6325 Pacific Boulevard, Suite 300, Huntington Park, CA 90255
      • Phone: (323) 826-9771
    • Wilmington: 113 E Anaheim St, Wilmington, CA 90744
  • Website: https://www.cbecal.org/
  • Email: Contact forms available on website
  • Social Media: @CBECal (Twitter)
  • Executive Director: Darryl Molina Sarmiento
  • Founded: 1978
  • Focus: Environmental health and justice in Richmond, East Oakland, Wilmington, Southeast LA
  • Services: Community organizing, science-based advocacy, legal intervention
  • Areas Served: Predominately low-income Latino and African American communities

East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice (EYCEJ)

  • Website: https://eycej.org/
  • Focus: Environmental health and justice for disproportionately impacted communities
  • Services: Grassroots organizing, leadership building

LA Forward - Climate Justice Working Group

  • Website: https://www.laforward.org/climate
  • Email: Sign up through website
  • Focus: Policies for sustainable, equitable climate future
  • Activities: Direct actions, partnerships with marginalized communities

Ground Game Los Angeles - Environmental Justice

Climate Action & Sustainability Groups

TreePeople

  • Address: 12601 Mulholland Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
  • Phone: (818) 753-4600
  • Email: info@treepeople.org
  • Website: https://treepeople.org/
  • Hours: Daily 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM
  • Founded: 1973 by Andy Lipkis
  • Department Contacts:
    • Campus Planting: (818) 623-4860
    • Development: (818) 623-4873
    • Eco-tours: (818) 623-4874
    • Forestry Director: (818) 623-4853
    • Media: (818) 623-4888 or media@treepeople.org
  • Social Media:
    • LinkedIn: TreePeople
    • Facebook: @TreePeopleorg
  • Focus: Climate-ready Los Angeles through trees, people, and nature-based solutions
  • Service Area: 4,084 square miles of LA County, 88 cities, 10 million residents

Heal the Bay

  • Focus: Making coastal waters clean and healthy

Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust (LANLT)

  • Address: 1689 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026
  • Phone: (213) 572-0188
  • Email: Communications@lanlt.org
  • Website: https://www.lanlt.org/
  • Tax ID: 38-3687836
  • Social Media:
    • LinkedIn: Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust
    • Instagram: @neighborhoodlandtrust
  • Founded: 2002
  • Mission: Creating parks and gardens in communities of color with limited green space access
  • Impact: 30 parks/gardens created, 22 acres added, serving 500,000+ Angelenos
  • Focus: Low-income communities of color, environmental justice

LA Conservation Corps

  • Focus: Transforming youth while enhancing communities
  • Services: Green jobs, environmental projects

MUTUAL AID NETWORKS

Mutual Aid LA Network (MALAN)

  • Website: https://mutualaidla.org/
  • Email: info@mutualaidla.org
  • Instagram: @mutualaidla
  • Services: Connector and information hub for mutual aid efforts across LA
  • Projects:
    • Produce in the Park
    • Hygiene Hello!
    • The Dispatch (newsletter)
    • Resource Responders
    • Political Education Reading Group
  • Directory: Group listings directory with up-to-date info and opportunities

DSA Los Angeles - Mutual Aid Resource Committee

LA Forward - Mutual Aid Resources

Ground Game LA

  • Partnership: Part of Los Angeles COVID-19 Mutual Aid Network
  • Focus: Filling gaps for vulnerable residents

TECH FOR GOOD

Digital Equity Organizations

Digital Equity LA Coalition

  • Website: https://www.digitalequityla.org
  • Email: Contact via website form or hello@digitalequityla.org (based on website contact info)
  • Fiscal Sponsor: California Community Foundation (CCF)
  • CCF Contact: Shayna Englin, Digital Equity Initiative Director (digitaldivide@calfund.org)
  • Mission: Coalition of community-based organizations advancing digital equity
  • Services: Monthly coalition calls, newsletter, advocacy, community organizing
  • Focus: Fast, reliable, affordable broadband as civil right and basic utility
  • Coalition Size: Nearly 100 diverse community partners

California Community Foundation - Digital Equity Initiative

Delete the Divide (LA County)

  • Program: LA County's digital equity initiative
  • Target: Ages 12-24 in communities where 20.1%-100% lack internet access
  • Services: Professional IT certificates, job training

FOOD SYSTEMS & AGRICULTURE

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

South Central Farmers Cooperative

  • Address: 11003 Penrose St, Unit A, Sun Valley, CA 91352
  • Email: csa@southcentralfarmers.com
  • Phone/Text: Janet (CSA Coordinator) - (818) 861-9470
  • Website: https://www.southcentralfarmers.com/
  • Hours: Tue, Wed, Fri: 8 AM - 6 PM; Sat: 8 AM - 8 PM; Mon, Thu, Sun: Closed
  • Farm Locations: 85-acre farm in Buttonwillow, CA; 14-acre farm in Lake Hughes
  • Service Area: Greater Los Angeles area and Kern County
  • Pricing: Sliding scale - Full box $17-25/week, Mini box $15-19/week
  • Certification: Certified Organic
  • Background: Organized by farmers from historic South Central Farm (bulldozed 2006)

Crop Swap LA

  • Network: Five farms and three main urban farms
  • Services: Zero-carbon weekly deliveries within 1 mile of urban farms
  • Membership: 100+ subscribers
  • Special Programs: CalFresh/EBT certified, half-off rate for low-income members
  • Donations: 10% of harvest to senior centers, food banks, community organizations

The Growing Experience

  • Location: 7-acre urban farm in north Long Beach, Carmelitos Housing Development
  • Focus: Access to locally grown healthy foods in traditionally under-served area
  • Method: No harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilizers

Earth Matterz

  • Website: https://www.earthmatterz.com
  • Service Area: Los Angeles, expanding to South Bay
  • Experience: 12+ years in LA
  • Focus: Supporting local farmers while nourishing communities

Food Justice Organizations

Community Services Unlimited Inc.

  • Services: CSA hosting for Abundant Harvest Organics
  • Locations: Pasadena & North-East Los Angeles (Highland Park area)
  • Pricing: Small box $22.80, large box $38.30

Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)

  • Website: https://caff.org/csa/
  • Services: CSA farmer support, technical assistance, policy advocacy
  • Resources: Direct support to CSA farms across California

TIME BANKS & LOCAL CURRENCY

Time Banking Systems

Los Angeles Eco-Village Time Bank

  • Website: https://laecovillage.org/time-bank/
  • Philosophy: Pay-it-forward system connecting unmet needs with untapped resources
  • Network: Part of international timebanking network
  • System: One hour equals one Time Credit

Arroyo Seco Network of Time Banks (ASNTB)

  • Focus: Collaborative network across the state
  • Special Program: Local Economy Incubator with dual-currency loan fund
  • Financial Partner: Permaculture Credit Union
  • Services: Business development support for members

West LA Time Bank

  • Website: https://www.ourtimebank.com/
  • Service Area: West Los Angeles area, Pacific Palisades to Westchester
  • System: Online platform for listing services and tracking Time Credits
  • Philosophy: No cash value placed on services (not taxable)

DIRECTORIES & NETWORKS

Resource Organizations

Los Angeles Worker Center Network

US Federation of Worker Cooperatives

California Center for Cooperative Development

  • Website: https://cccd.coop/
  • Services: Worker cooperative education, advocacy, development

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN)

CONTACT STRATEGIES

Contact Strategies & Tips

Most Effective Contact Methods:

  1. Email First: Most organizations prefer initial contact via email or website contact forms
  2. Phone Follow-up: Call during business hours (typically M-F 9 AM - 5 PM) for time-sensitive needs
  3. Social Media: Many organizations are active on Instagram and Facebook - good for getting updates and informal contact
  4. Community Events: Attend workshops, meetings, and community gatherings - often the best way to connect personally
  5. Volunteer First: Many organizations welcome volunteers, and this is often the best way to get involved and build relationships

Key Contact Tips:

  • Be specific about your interests and how you want to get involved
  • Reference shared values and community connections when reaching out
  • Allow 1-2 weeks for email responses; many organizations are volunteer-run
  • Follow up politely if you don't hear back - organizations are often very busy
  • Attend public events to meet people in person before reaching out

Spanish Language Resources: Many organizations listed offer services and materials in Spanish, including:

  • LA Community Garden Council (LACGC)
  • LA Co-op Lab (videos and materials)
  • TreePeople (videos and materials)
  • Digital Equity LA Coalition
  • Community Alliance with Family Farmers

Key Networks & Coordination Organizations

Primary Hubs (Contact First for Network Access):

  • LA Community Garden Council: Central hub for 47+ community gardens (info.lacgc@gmail.com)
  • Mutual Aid LA Network: Central hub connecting dozens of mutual aid groups (info@mutualaidla.org)
  • LA Co-op Lab: Central hub for worker cooperative development ((323) 285-3808, gilda@lacooplab.com)
  • Digital Equity LA: Central hub for tech equity work (website contact form, digitaldivide@calfund.org)
  • California Environmental Justice Alliance: Central hub for environmental justice work (website contact)

Regional Support Organizations:

  • California Center for Cooperative Development: Statewide worker coop support
  • California Community Land Trust Network: Statewide CLT support and advocacy
  • US Federation of Worker Cooperatives: National worker coop directory and resources
  • Opportunity Finance Network: National CDFI locator and resources

Seasonal Considerations

  • Spring: Best time for CSA sign-ups and community garden plot applications
  • Summer: Peak activity for community gardens and outdoor events
  • Fall: Many organizations start new programming cycles
  • Winter: Good time for indoor workshops and planning meetings

This directory represents organizations that prioritize community ownership, economic democracy, environmental sustainability, and social justice in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. All information was compiled from public sources and verified as of July 2025.

Content is user-generated and unverified.
    Los Angeles Metro Area Wellbeing Economy Directory | Claude