Annual Back-to-School Event Provides Essential Resources to Families Impacted by Homelessness

LA Family Housing (LAFH), together with City National Bank and other partners, kicked off the back-to-school season today by distributing complimentary backpacks filled with school supplies to a few hundred parents and students currently or recently impacted by homelessness.  

For more than five years, City National Bank has served as a key sponsor of our annual back-to-school event, helping ensure children have the tools and support they need to begin the school year prepared and confident. 

“All children deserve the opportunity to succeed in school, but this requires stable housing and a variety of social services and support. A backpack full of new school supplies signals more than material support. It shows kids they're seen, cared for and connected to a community that can help them achieve success,” said Nedda Ismaili, Senior Vice President, Regional Manager of Commercial Real Estate Banking at City National Bank. “City National Bank is grateful to collaborate once again with LA Family Housing to make a difference in the lives of children and families who need it most.” 

More than a dozen other partners participated in the event, providing a wide range of services and resources, including vision screenings, school registration assistance, library and tutoring information, school readiness support, clothing, and shoes. Among the partners were Adidas, Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, Marshall B. Ketchum University Eye Center, Kid Dangerous/Girl Dangerous, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), Los Angeles County Office of Education Head Start and Early Learning Division, Northeast Valley Health Corporation, Peet’s Coffee, School on Wheels, Shoes That Fit, Soles4souls, and Uchenna Nwosu Foundation (Seattle Seahawks’ player). 

Dozens of volunteers also supported the event, representing Children’s Hospital LA, City National Bank, Office of Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, Uchenna Nwosu Foundation, and Universal Studios Hollywood.   

The event took place in North Hollywood near our main campus. Each year, LAFH serves more 1,100 families—including approximately 4,200 children—through interim and permanent housing, and comprehensive supportive services.  

“The start of a new school year should be a time of excitement, hope, and opportunity for every child. Yet we know students experiencing homelessness face greater barriers to academic success than their peers, which is why support from organizations like City National Bank is so important,” said Stephanie Klasky-Gamer, President and CEO of LA Family Housing.  

“These backpacks and school supplies provide more than just the tools students need to learn—they send a powerful message that our community is invested in their future and rooting for their success.  We’re grateful that they will start the school year prepared and confident,” she added. 

The need for these resources is especially urgent as student homelessness continues to rise across Los Angeles County. According to UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools, more than 61,000 children and youth experienced homelessness in the county—a nearly 30% increase from the previous school year, outpacing both state and national trends. Nearly one in four students experiencing homelessness in California lives in Los Angeles County.  

“I'm very grateful, and I know all these families are grateful to have the support that we need for our kids for education because that is the most important thing,” said Cristal, a mother of four who lives in one of LAFH’s permanent supportive housing communities. “You guys offered us a library cards, tutoring on wheels, backpacks, shoes, and more. It’s amazing, because for some of us it is not that simple to get school supplies and shoes, and the first day of school is so important for our kids because it impacts their confidence for the rest of the year.” 

Through this annual back-to-school event, City National is investing in the well-being of students and families by helping ensure they have the tools needed to start the school year ready to learn and thrive. The effort reflects the bank’s longstanding commitment to support communities in need and expand opportunities for children and families experiencing hardship. Since 2010, City National has donated more than 40,000 backpacks to students across the country. 

LAFH and our sister organization LAFHBUILDS are among the largest providers of homeless services and affordable housing development in Los Angeles County. Each year, we reach more than 16,000 individuals and families with the housing resources and supportive services that help them achieve stability and transition out of homelessness. In 2025, we helped 3,363 women, men, and children move into or retain permanent housing. LAFHBUILDS owns or operates 1,119 units of permanent supportive or affordable housing, and has at least 722 additional affordable homes in its development pipeline that will be completed in the coming years.