The Giving Spirit

What The Giving Spirit does

The Giving Spirit is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 by Tom Bagamane to deliver direct tangible aid and education to people experiencing homelessness in Greater Los Angeles. The organization operates four core programs: Universal Care (survival kits with up to 75 items providing 60-120 days of nutrition, hygiene, clothing, weather protection, and first aid), Women+Girls Initiative (gender-specific health and personal care kits including a New Baby Program), LAUSD Homeless Students Program (Essential Learning Kits with school supplies, hygiene items, and laptops for graduating seniors serving 8,000 students and families to date), and the Companion Animal Program (food and care kits for pets of unhoused individuals, launched in 2017). Education is delivered through Live Curated Panels, Hosted Curated Events, and an Annual December Outreach. Since 1999 the organization reports serving 97,000+ lives with 27,000+ volunteers engaged.

The organization's proprietary technology consists of a digital curriculum on poverty and homelessness developed from 2022 with guidance from Harvard Business School faculty, hosted on the bespoke besocialchange.us learning platform launched in 2024 with Scholas Occurrentes as inaugural partner. The organization runs a lean 1-10 person staff supported by a credentialed Board of Directors and a chartered Youth Council (founded 2021). It was designated a First Responder by the City of Los Angeles in 2020.

Revenue is generated through three streams: individual donations, corporate and foundation sponsorships (Berlanti Family Foundation, Leavey Foundation, Disney Foundation, California Community Foundation, Jewish Community Foundation, George Hoag Family Foundation, Julian Grace Foundation, Michelson Philanthropies, plus corporate sponsors Universal Music, Sony Pictures, Skechers, and The Wonderful Company), and curated event hosting for corporate groups and schools at custom sponsorship donation levels. Distribution is delivered through direct volunteer street outreach across Los Angeles County and via 20+ partner agencies including LAHSA, United Way, Hope the Mission, Union Rescue Mission, Downtown Women's Center, Safe Place for Youth, and The People Concern. Pro bono professional services are provided by Norton Rose Fulbright (legal) and Gursey | Schneider LLP (accounting). Financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

The Giving Spirit

Legal name

The Giving Spirit

Website

https://thegivingspirit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Giving Spirit is a Los Angeles 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1999, that distributes survival kits and educational programming to unhoused populations across Universal Care, Women+Girls, LAUSD Students, and Companion Animal programs. The organization recently launched the proprietary besocialchange.us digital learning platform in partnership with Scholas Occurrentes and Harvard Business School.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Humanitarian aid
• Community outreach
• Educational programs
• Nonprofit direct aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters enabling direct aid programs.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship donations from foundations (Berlanti Family Foundation, Dorothy Thomas Leavey Foundation, Disney Foundation, etc.) and corporate sponsors for events, programs, and operational support.
3. Curated Event Hosting: Fee-based customized events for corporate groups, schools, and organizations including kit assembly, learning experiences, and direct street outreach. Sponsorship donation levels depend on budget, group size, venue, and program selection.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Giving Spirit distributes survival kits containing up to 75 items (nutrition, hydration, hygiene, clothing, weather protection, first aid) to unhoused individuals in Greater Los Angeles through direct street outreach and a network of partner agencies, alongside educational programming on the root causes of homelessness. It operates four core aid programs (Universal Care, Women+Girls Initiative, LAUSD Homeless Students, Companion Animal) and a proprietary digital learning platform (besocialchange.us) developed with Harvard Business School advisors.

Product overview

The Giving Spirit is a nonprofit organization providing direct tangible aid to the unhoused and educating communities on homelessness solutions. The organization operates a platform of four core programs: Universal Care (survival kits with 75+ items), Women+Girls Initiative (hygiene/care kits plus New Baby Program), LAUSD Homeless Students Program (Essential Learning Kits with school supplies), and Companion Animal Program (kits for pet owners). Supporting these are educational offerings including Live Curated Panels, Hosted Curated Events, and Annual December Outreach. In 2024, the organization launched its proprietary digital learning platform (besocialchange.us) to deliver digital curriculum on poverty and homelessness. The Youth Council provides youth leadership development. The organization has served over 97,000 lives with 27,000+ volunteers since 1999.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 94,996 lives served and saved through direct outreach
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Scholas OccurrentesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Pope Francis's secular organization is the first partner on The Giving Spirit's proprietary digital learning platform besocialchange.us, collaborating on educational initiatives for the platform.
• Michelson Found Animals FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Founding financial sponsors of the Companion Animal Program, have generously funded several curated educational initiatives to express and validate the power of the human-animal bond. Also partnered on One Health community vision.
• Norton Rose FulbrightcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal service partner providing pro bono legal services. Jeffrey Margulies serves as Partner in Charge.
• Gursey | Schneider LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional services partner providing finance, accounting and tax services. Gary Krausz, CPA serves as Partner.
• Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey agency partner for direct outreach distribution and COVID-19 response programs including Project Room Key.
• United Way of Greater Los AngelescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency partner for COVID-19 response and ongoing support services.
• YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for COVID-19 health and safety kit distribution to communities in need.
• Hope the MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for direct outreach and homeless services.
• Safe Place for YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for youth homelessness programs.
• The People ConcerncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for direct outreach services.
• Downtown Women's CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for women-focused homeless services.
• Union Rescue MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agency for direct outreach and homeless services.
• Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinated efforts with Red Cross volunteers to organize resources for the unhoused following 2025 historic fires.
• YPO Santa MonicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to supply all housed veterans on the Wilshire Veterans Administration campus with emergency evacuation backpacks following 2025 fires.
• Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Home Education OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched LAUSD Homeless Student Program in partnership with the Home Education Office to serve unhoused K-12 students with Essential Learning Kits.
• Harvard Business SchoolflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor and Dean from Harvard Business School offered to advise and counsel on development of innovative learning model. Professor Monique Burns-Thompson provided guidance on curriculum development.
• Universal Music GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting The Giving Spirit's programs.
• Sony Pictures EntertainmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting The Giving Spirit's programs.
• SkecherscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting The Giving Spirit's programs.
• The Wonderful CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting The Giving Spirit's programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The People Concern: LA-based nonprofit offering housing, supportive services, and outreach to people experiencing homelessness. Named partner agency of The Giving Spirit, with an almost identical beneficiary population and direct-outreach distribution model.
• Safe Place for Youth: LA-based nonprofit focused on youth homelessness, directly comparable to the LAUSD Homeless Students Program segment of The Giving Spirit. Listed as an active partner agency serving the same youth population.
• PATH (People Assisting The Homeless): Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing, health, and outreach services to people experiencing homelessness. Operates with the same direct-outreach delivery approach and overlapping LA geography as The Giving Spirit.
• Union Rescue Mission: One of the largest direct-service homeless providers in Los Angeles, serving individuals and families through emergency shelter, meals, and outreach. Listed as an active partner agency of The Giving Spirit and serves a closely overlapping population in the same geography.
• Downtown Women's Center: Los Angeles organization dedicated to serving women experiencing homelessness, the same narrow beneficiary segment as The Giving Spirit's Women+Girls Initiative. Active partner agency with directly comparable gender-focused programming.
• LA Family Housing: Major LA-based homeless services and housing provider operating across the same geography and beneficiary population as The Giving Spirit. Comparable in mission (ending homelessness in LA) and direct-service model.
• My Friend's Place: LA-based nonprofit serving unhoused youth (ages 12-25) with direct services and education programs. Directly comparable to the youth-serving arm of The Giving Spirit and operates in the same regional ecosystem.
• Hope the Mission: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing direct outreach and services to people experiencing homelessness. Listed as an active distribution partner of The Giving Spirit, operating with an overlapping service population and direct-outreach delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Covenant House: National nonprofit serving youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking across the U.S. and internationally. Comparable in mission (youth homelessness services and education) but operates at a much larger geographic scale and as an established national brand.

Others

• Michelson Found Animals Foundation: Animal-welfare nonprofit and active strategic/financial partner of The Giving Spirit's Companion Animal Program. Comparable as a sector-adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, sharing founder Brett Yates as a board member of both organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCM7chWI1dLvdqKm8ozo1rMw
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheGivingSpirit
• Instagraminstagram.com/thegivingspirit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-giving-spirit

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about The Giving Spirit