Watts Labor Community Action Committee

What Watts Labor Community Action Committee does

Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-based organization founded in 1965 by Ted Watkins in Watts, Los Angeles, delivering free comprehensive human services to low-income residents of Watts and South Central Los Angeles. The organization operates through seven program divisions — Youth Services, FamilySource Center, Senior Services, Homeless and Housing Services, WorkSource/YouthSource employment centers, Climate Services (including the 2.5-acre MudTown Farms urban agriculture site), and Cultural Enrichment — and reaches more than 30,000 individuals annually. Physical infrastructure includes a 7-acre cultural headquarters campus housing the Watts Museum of African American Art and Culture, 22 senior congregate meal sites, 5 senior multipurpose centers, the McCoy Villa transitional housing complex, and approximately 300 residential units managed through its wholly-owned subsidiary Greater Watts Development Corporation (GWDC).

WLCAC's technology stack consists entirely of standard nonprofit and business software — Microsoft Office, SAGE accounting, ADP payroll, and HMIS for case management — with no proprietary technology product, platform, or AI capability. The business model is grant-funded social-service delivery: services are provided free of charge to clients, and revenue derives from federal, state, and municipal program contracts (workforce development, HUD/Continuum of Care homeless services, senior nutrition, LA County reentry, LAUSD school-based services), private foundation grants (Archstone Foundation), corporate partnerships (The Gas Company/Sempra), and individual donations accepted via PayPal. GWDC contributes approximately $6M+ in annual real-estate-related revenue from residential and commercial property operations, providing the organization's only commercial income stream outside government and philanthropic grants.

The Watkins family has led the organization across three generations, with Tim Watkins currently serving as President and CEO. WLCAC's competitive positioning rests on 58 years of continuous operation, multigenerational community trust, and an integrated service delivery model that connects clients across programs — employment training linked to housing, urban agriculture supporting food security and job skills, and reentry services for formerly incarcerated individuals operating as the largest such program in Los Angeles County.

Name

Watts Labor Community Action Committee

Legal name

Watts Labor Community Action Committee

Website

https://wlcac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) is a 58-year-old Los Angeles nonprofit founded in 1965 by Ted Watkins, delivering free youth, family, senior, homeless, employment, housing, and cultural-enrichment services to 30,000+ low-income residents annually in Watts and South Central LA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Housing Services (62422), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility) (HLADAGAA)

Keywords

• Community action services
• Workforce development programs
• Homeless services
• Senior nutrition services
• Affordable housing development

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: WLCAC receives funding through federal, state, and city grants including workforce development grants (WorkSource/YouthSource), homeless services funding, senior services programs, and weatherization services funded by The Gas Company.
2. Private Foundations and Donations: The organization receives support from foundations such as the Archstone Foundation for specific programs like the diabetes self-management pilot. Individual donations are accepted through PayPal.
3. Property Management Revenue: WLCAC manages approximately $6M in annual revenue related to residential and commercial properties through its subsidiary Greater Watts Development Corporation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WLCAC provides free comprehensive human services to low-income residents of Watts and South Central Los Angeles across seven program divisions: Youth Services, Family Source Center, Senior Services, Homeless and Housing Services, WorkSource/YouthSource employment, Climate Services (MudTown Farms urban agriculture), and Cultural Enrichment. All services are provided at no cost to eligible residents, funded through government grants, foundation support, and donations.

Product overview

Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC) is a non-profit community-based human social services organization that provides a broad portfolio of interconnected programs and services rather than a unified software product. Its offerings span seven major divisions: Youth Services, Family Source Center, Senior Services, Homeless and Housing Services, Employment (WorkSource/YouthSource), Climate Services (including MudTown Farms urban agriculture), and Cultural Enrichment. These programs are designed to work together holistically — for example, Family Source Center clients are referred to WorkSource for employment, MudTown Farms provides food security while offering job training, and homeless services connect clients to housing, employment, and senior services. The organization does not offer a technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Services Provides youth development services including summer employment, work experience, tutoring, mentoring, gang prevention, and cultural enrichment for young people ages 14-24 in Watts and South Los Angeles.
• Family Source Center (FSC) City-funded Family Source Center operating two sites providing coordinated wrap-around services including housing assistance, employment support, financial literacy, youth enrichment, free tax preparation (VITA), food pantry, immigration services, legal assistance, mental health services, expungement, and post-secondary education enrollment, serving over 4,000 unduplicated clients annually.
• Senior Services Comprehensive senior services including a Senior Nutrition Program serving 1,600 meals daily across 44 zip codes, congregate dining, home-delivered meals, in-home support, transportation (door-to-door medical and grocery trips), case management, utility bill assistance, CalFresh support, and emergency alert devices, operating through five multipurpose senior centers across Los Angeles.
• Homeless and Housing Services Provides supportive services to families, transitional age youth, and adults experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, including access to showers, food, shelter, safe parking, ID assistance, health and mental health referrals, and connection to the SPA 6 Coordinated Entry System. Services include the Homeless Access Center, Shelter Plus Care, transitional housing for mental health clients, and McCoy Villa (state-of-the-art housing for homeless families), serving approximately 3,600 unduplicated homeless clients annually.
• WorkSource and YouthSource Centers Employment and workforce development services providing free job placement, reentry services, vocational training, employment retention support, and summer youth employment programs. WorkSource serves adults (18+) with job training and placement; YouthSource serves youth ages 16-24 with career readiness, GED support, college preparation, and occupational skills training. The organization manages the largest reentry program in Los Angeles County.
• Climate Services / MudTown Farms Urban agriculture and environmental sustainability initiative centered at MudTown Farms, a 2.5-acre urban agricultural center in Watts. Services include free produce distribution (over 16,000 lbs per event), the Watts Yardners backyard farm installation program, gardening and farming classes, the Watts Certified Grower's Certification Program, community meeting space rentals, and the Handyworker Program providing weatherization, energy conservation, and minor home repairs for low-income seniors and disabled residents.
• Cultural Enrichment Services Arts and cultural programming including the annual Watts Culture Fest, free art programs (Bellas Artes 101, Mixed Media, Ceramics, Screen Printing), podcasting and audio production training, social media marketing and branding courses, digital archive (Hip-Hop history), and management of the seven-acre cultural park headquarters with exhibits, murals, performance spaces, skate park, playground, and the Watts Museum of Civil Rights. WLCAC has invested over $2 million in enrichment programming.
• Greater Watts Development Corporation (GWDC) WLCAC's wholly-owned real estate development subsidiary focused on affordable housing acquisition and development, capital improvement projects, permit and entitlement processing, and grants/contracts management implementation for the Watts neighborhood.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30,000 people served annually
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Food ForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood Forward partners with WLCAC's FamilySource Center to provide a fully stocked food pantry addressing food insecurity in South Los Angeles. The partnership ensures community members have equitable access to healthy and nutritious foods through regular distributions.
• City of Los Angeles Community Investment for Families Department (CIFD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIFD partners with WLCAC through the Free Tax Prep Los Angeles campaign to provide IRS-certified volunteers for free tax preparation services and educate working Angelenos about available tax credits including EITC and Child Tax Credit.
• Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDCBA collaborates with WLCAC on the Free Tax Prep Los Angeles initiative to expand access to free tax preparation services and financial education for low-income residents.
• United Way of Greater Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Greater Los Angeles partners with WLCAC as part of the Free Tax Prep Los Angeles campaign to provide free tax preparation services and EITC education to working families.
• LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLAUSD provides a Student Assistance and Service Counselor at WLCAC's YouthSource Center to support efforts to reach at-risk students and overcome academic barriers.
• PBSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMudTown Farms was highlighted in the PBS docuseries '10 Days in Watts,' showcasing the urban farm's role in community food security and environmental justice.
• The Bold New Way (Yes! for Homes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWLCAC partners with Yes! for Homes, an initiative for housing LA with more mental health care and affordable housing, as part of their homeless services outreach.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Homeboy Industries: LA-based nonprofit providing reentry, workforce development, and wrap-around services to formerly incarcerated individuals. Highly comparable to WLCAC's WorkSource reentry program and community-based service model.
• Chrysalis: LA nonprofit offering workforce development, employment placement, and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness, former incarceration, and poverty. Directly comparable to WLCAC's WorkSource and homeless services divisions.
• PATH (People Assisting the Homeless): LA-focused nonprofit providing housing, homeless services, and case management across multiple service sites. Comparable to WLCAC's Homeless Access Center and McCoy Villa housing program.
• Skid Row Housing Trust: LA nonprofit developing and operating permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. Comparable to WLCAC's GWDC housing portfolio and affordable housing operations.
• Para Los Niños: LA nonprofit providing wrap-around services to low-income children and families, including education, housing, and workforce development. Comparable to WLCAC's FamilySource Center and family services model.
• St. Joseph Center: LA-based nonprofit providing housing, homeless services, senior services, and family support across West LA. Comparable multi-division community services model with senior nutrition and family programs.
• Union Rescue Mission: LA-based nonprofit providing shelter, meals, and recovery services to people experiencing homelessness. Comparable to WLCAC's homeless services and senior nutrition programs in scale and service mix.

Regional players

• LA's BEST (Better Educated Students for Tomorrow): LA-based afterschool and youth enrichment nonprofit serving elementary-age youth. Overlaps with WLCAC's youth services and cultural enrichment programming for K-12 community members.
• Inner City Law Center: LA-based nonprofit providing legal services to low-income communities on housing, immigration, and economic justice issues. Comparable to the legal assistance component of WLCAC's FamilySource Center.

Others

• Food Forward: LA-based food recovery and distribution nonprofit that is an active WLCAC partner. Comparable in addressing food insecurity — an ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WLCAC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLSllZo0L9-hl964L_KLyqSM3rLjKaxl0o
• Facebookfacebook.com/WLCAC
• Instagraminstagram.com/WLCAC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Watts Labor Community Action Committee