Office of Community

What is the Office of Community?

In November 2018, the Office of Community was formed to establish trust in UCLA Health by having a direct on the ground street presence and engaging in equitable and impactful health and wellness initiatives in strategic alignment with internal stakeholders and key community partners.

The Office of Community envisions a culture in which active community engagement and equitable and accessible health and wellness initiatives are embraced as UCLA Health core workplace values, with UCLA Health positioned as the most trusted health care provider across the diverse communities of Southern California.

The Office of Community supports the annual Los Angeles Care Harbor event, which provides free medical, dental, vision and preventive care to over 1,000 homeless, underinsured and underserved Angelenos. The Office of Community participates in outreach efforts for veterans through the UCLA Veterans Affairs Relations and Programs and coordinates multiple events with our community partners in targeted underserved communities. 

In FY 2020-2021, Office of Community efforts were focused on providing COVID-19 safety education, as well as distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) and distance learning supplies through our corporate and community partnerships, including those with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Lakers Youth Foundation and the American Heart Association. COVID-safe, drive-through events became the norm as stay-at-home orders precluded gathering indoors.

Additionally, the Office of Community supported global humanitarian initiatives, including Operation Beirut and Operation Armenia projects, in collaboration with UCLA Health International Services and the Promise Armenia Institute. For both efforts, the office collected critically needed medical supplies during and following recent tragedies and conflicts in those areas.

Our expanded and unified approach

The Office of Community works closely with many national and local foundations, such as the American Heart Association (AHA), Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), American Cancer Society (ACS), American Red Cross and others on important community engagement and education initiatives. 

The Office of Community also serves as an important community interface and sponsor of many health-specific awareness campaigns that have much deeper reach and impact than simply fundraising, such as the annual Kidney Fair, Tour de Pier pancreatic cancer event, March of Dimes and National Alliance on Mental Illness, and many others.

The office has increasingly worked with the Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence team to involve doctors and nurses who want to be engaged in community outreach efforts, and brought together volunteers to work the Magic Johnson Park opening in Watts, where they provided food and other giveaways.

The Office of Community has expanded their scope beyond just helping the local community. In the fall of 2020, they oversaw global humanitarian outreach efforts as part of UCLA Operation Beirut and UCLA Aid to Armenia. Looking forward, they hope to serve as the glue and connective tissue that brings together all community outreach and engagement efforts across UCLA Health.