We start where people already are.
Our outreach team works the encampments and hotspots of Los Angeles County — not to move anyone along, but to become the one number that actually picks up. Water first. Paperwork later. Trust before either.
- Who
- Anyone experiencing unsheltered homelessness; families, youth, adults and older adults
- Where
- Encampments and hotspots across LA County; libraries, medical centers and mental health sites
- How to reach us
- (323) 758-5433 · [email protected]
- Residents
- Request outreach for a neighbor through H.E.R.S.
Shorter episodes of homelessness start with knowing what exists.
Good Seed is actively involved in community outreach and engagement to reduce the amount of time people spend experiencing homelessness. Our program is organized with community partners and with people who are, or have been, homeless themselves. We have found that people experience shorter episodes of homelessness when they know about the services and resources available to them.
So we go where people are. With our partners we advertise services in the places most used by people experiencing homelessness — public libraries, medical centers, mental health organizations, and less conventional spots — and our street team works encampments and hotspots directly, serving as each person's primary contact into everything else Good Seed and the county offer.
We connect clients from every population with the healthcare and housing resources that reduce homelessness — and we keep expanding our reach across Southern California.
What an outreach contact looks like
- A first conversation on your terms: water, a hygiene kit, a phone charge, no forms.
- One named worker who stays your contact — not a new face each time.
- Linkage to the right door: a drop-in center, emergency shelter, ICMS, ECM, a clinic, or a benefits appointment.
- Help with the paperwork that unlocks everything else: an ID, a birth certificate, a Medi-Cal card.
- Follow-up until you are connected, not just referred.
Neighbors, not strangers.
The United Mental Health Promoters program, overseen by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, reduces mental health stigma in underserved communities across LA County. Promoters are trained community members who serve as trusted bridges between residents and mental health services, approaching support through a culturally sensitive lens. When resources and information come from people within their own community, residents show more trust in mental health services and better access to care.
Services provided
- Outreach and engagement — connecting with community members in familiar, comfortable settings.
- Educational workshops — interactive sessions tailored to community needs, such as Emotional Wellbeing and Stress, Mental Health Stigma Reduction, Addiction and Mental Wellness, and Family Violence Prevention.
- Linkage and referrals — connecting individuals to the right mental health services and resources.
- Community capacity building — strengthening understanding and lowering barriers to care.
- Public awareness campaigns — addressing stigma and normalizing conversations about mental health.
Who it's for
All populations and all age groups. No diagnosis, no intake, no cost.
Youth-designed outreach at the hotspots.
After countless interviews with homeless youth across Los Angeles County, the number one reason for staying on the streets for months at a time was not knowing that youth services existed. So Good Seed coordinated with homeless youth, youth service providers and government agencies to build a ground-up, youth-focused framework for outreach. With partners like 211, the county's information and referral line, the MTA project advertises in the spaces where homeless youth gather and links them to youth-focused providers and emergency shelter.
- Who: homeless transition-age youth, ages 16–25.
- Where: "hotspot" locations, with policy change, stakeholder engagement and collaboration around them.
- What: outreach and engagement at hotspots to connect youth with youth-focused providers.
- Since: early 2014, and ongoing.
Homeless Engagement Request System.
On any given night more than 56,000 people experience homelessness in Los Angeles County. Many residents want to help a neighbor who is unhoused but don't know how. Good Seed CDC and the Chair of the SPA 6 Homeless Coalition worked with GISCorps to build a customized GIS web and mobile tool that lets residents of LA County request an outreach team for an individual, a young person or a family experiencing homelessness.
If you or your agency want to partner on outreach, or volunteer, reach out: [email protected] or (323) 758-5433.
Which door is yours?
Outreach is where most journeys start. Tap what you need and we'll show you the next door.
