Emergency Network Los Angeles (ENLA) was founded in March 1996, two years after the devastating Northridge Earthquake, in order to formally organize the Los Angeles County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). ENLA is a California nonprofit under IRS section 501(c)(3).
ENLA’s mission is to enhance the capacity of nonprofits and community-based organizations, government agencies, and the private sector in managing emergencies as we foster the "four C's" of emergency management: cooperation, communication, coordination, and collaboration.
ENLA partners with nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations, as well as government agencies (city, county, state, and federal), and the private sector. From food banks to mental healthcare providers, our partners help us extend our reach and impact in the community.
ENLA represents a network of organizations working in the space of community welfare and emergency management. Membership is open to any relevant nonprofit or government entity supporting emergency management infrastructure (preparedness, response, recovery) in Los Angeles County.
ENLA has become a model of how community and faith-based organizations can network to better assist one another during and following disasters. As a result, communities in need are served faster and more efficiently, and better prepared as they plan for and work towards recovery.
Our impact is felt daily across Los Angeles County. Whether it is food distribution, resource fairs, earthquake preparedness, wildfire recovery, or responding to global pandemics, you will see the hard work of ENLA members and its volunteers reflected in the communities we serve.
ENLA has over 75 nonprofit members. Members elect a Board of Directors at the annual Membership meeting. The Board is comprised of voting members from nonprofit, community-based and faith-based organizations, and non-voting members from government agencies. The Board of Directors' Executive Committee is comprised of a Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. The Executive Committee can be reached at enla.voad@gmail.com.
Our voting members include a variety of nonprofits, such as American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Service Center for Independent Life, 211 LA County, Didi Hirsch, Los Angeles Region Community Recovery Organization, and many others. Each and every member of ENLA is a valuable resource for the LA County community it serves.
ENLA's government partners include local, state, and federal agencies, such as the County of Los Angeles CEO's Office of Emergency Management (OEM), LA County Department of Public Health (DPH), the City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department (EMD), the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA). Recent new members include the City of Santa Monica, the City of Downey, and the City of Rancho Palos Verdes. All cities in LA County are welcome to join.
This committee provides for the coordination of ENLA communications services by ensuring that key information and updated status reports are distributed among ENLA members and government emergency response agencies during disaster or emergency events. Preparing for this role is an on-going function of the committee.
This committee works on the handling and distribution of in-kind donations before, during, and after a disaster has occurred.
This committee looks after the mental health and wellbeing of Los Angeles County residents, with special emphasis on individuals affected by disaster.
This committee is responsible for analyzing and implementing the preparedness, response, and recovery efforts of ENLA members to feed, shelter, provide short-term housing and meet other immediate needs for persons adversely affected by disaster. It will include efforts to help organizations serving those with special needs (seniors, DAFN, homeless, limited English proficiency, animals, etc.) to better prepare for emergencies or disasters.
This committee is activated in a declared emergency or disaster and consists of organizations involved with case management and other activities related to recovery on an on-going basis after an emergency or disaster. These services are delivered under difficult environmental conditions that typically result in loss of infrastructure, disruption of operations, and special challenges for communication, record keeping, coordination, and efficiency. The committee stays connected to local, regional, state and, in a declared disaster area, federal assistance, and stays connected to local FEMA activated entities.
This committee is tasked with taking account of volunteer resources of the VOAD's member organizations. The committee will also be charged with planning for the influx of volunteers that occurs during and after an emergency or disaster and will help to match volunteers with organizations providing direct services to those affected by the disaster.
Emergency Network Los Angeles Inc. (ENLA) is a California nonprofit organization and is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. ENLA has served the communities of Los Angeles County since 1996. Click on the links below for recent financial information. To contact the Board's Executive Committee, email enla.voad@gmail.com.
ENLA Bylaws 2022 approved (pdf)
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