MAPS Charities

In response to the extraordinary demand for services that has increased among our service population during the COVID-19 pandemic, MAPS Charities will enhance the capabilities of our core Senior Safety Net program that provides pass-through funds to help meet the essential needs of low-income seniors. By strengthening our partnership model, developing staff, and applying technology solutions to improve systems and processes for client intake and program evaluation, we will fill gaps in services and reach more older adults who need care.

To support this work, MAPS Charities will implement recommendations stemming from our current capacity project and fulfill our ongoing commitment to effectiveness. Our Board of Directors and staff will participate in the revision of a leadership-driven strategic matrix and the development of a DEI-informed framework with internal and external applications; fund development planning, staff hiring and development, and onboarding community engagement and fundraising software.

As MAPS Charities focuses on improving organizational efficacy to support growth, we will expand services and respond to the urgent need for food, shelter, utilities, medications, and medical devices that has spiked among our service population during the pandemic as capacity and funding permit.

To support our goals, MAPS Charities has developed a series of organizational objectives that include:

-Revise our strategic matrix to support our vision and guide organizational direction

-Develop and implement technology solutions to support a growing infrastructure

-Draft a new fund development plan to support sustainability

-Develop a staffing plan and job descriptions to support our growing infrastructure

-Develop and adopt a formal DEI/anti-racism policy and infrastructure

-Onboard 12 new client referral partners to support our growing infrastructure

-Connect services to 2,000 low-incomes seniors by December 2023

Concerned with the growing number of seniors in Los Angeles struggling to meet their basic needs, Jeffrey A. Friedman and a dedicated group of volunteers founded MAPS Charities in 2010. Still a volunteer-run organization, we have increased our reach year after year, connecting life-changing services to more than 3,000 low-income seniors at-risk for food insecurity, poor health outcomes, and even homelessness.

MAPS Charities' initial pandemic response was the launch of a large-scale emergency expansion to help meet the escalating demand for services – an increase of 70% in client referrals in 2020. As a result of this expansion, MAPS Charities more than doubled our program capacity, providing relief to more than 1,000 highly vulnerable seniors experiencing extreme financial distress and food insecurity during the COVID-19 crisis.

In 2021, to manage our fast-growing capacity, MAPS Charities shifted our focus to improving organizational effectiveness to support growth. We continued to respond to the urgent need for food, shelter, utilities, medications, and medical devices that has spiked among our service population during the pandemic.

Today, MAPS Charities continues to engage experts and expand our fundraising capabilities to strengthen our organization and support a sustainable future.