San Pedro is more than a coastal town with postcard views and maritime history—it’s a community built on heart, grit, and generosity.
Whether it’s helping a neighbor rebuild after a fire or showing up to support youth programs, San Pedrans know how to rally. But right now, our local nonprofits—the organizations that quietly keep our community strong—are facing one of their toughest chapters yet.
The recent wildfires across Southern California have put immense strain on emergency services and regional resources. At the same time, nonprofit funding from city, county, state, and federal sources is shrinking, leaving local organizations scrambling to fill the gaps. Many nonprofits serving our seniors, youth, artists, and families are struggling to raise enough money just to keep the lights on.
That’s where we come in. This is a moment to lean into San Pedro pride and “give where you live.”
Our support—financial, volunteer-based, or simply by spreading the word—can help ensure these vital community institutions continue their work. Here are a few that need us now more than ever:
San Pedro Meals on Wheels
This organization delivers more than just meals—it delivers dignity, friendship, and peace of mind to our seniors. For many older adults, a hot meal and a warm hello from a volunteer are the highlight of their day. A donation here helps fight food insecurity and isolation among our most vulnerable neighbors.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor
With after-school programs, arts, sports, academic support, and career prep, BGCLAH is one of the Harbor Area’s largest and most impactful youth-serving organizations. From San Pedro to Wilmington, they empower thousands of kids and teens every day. If we want to invest in our future, this is where it starts.
Harbor Connects
A newer player doing big things, Harbor Connects is about bridging the gap in homeless services where larger organizations cannot. Say it’s late on a Friday and someone needs temporary shelter and can’t wait until Monday for services to reopen, or an unhoused veteran needs help getting their documentation together to receive benefits, or a mother who is leaving a domestic abuse situation needs help with car repair so she can continue to commute to work.
Harbor Connects provides immediate resources that help keep people from falling into homelessness and, in partnership with local service providers, helps them quickly find their way out of difficult life situations.
San Pedro Waterfront Arts District
Public art. Community events. Artist support. The Arts District does it all while beautifying our streets and keeping San Pedro’s creative spirit alive.
Murals and installations aren’t just decoration—they’re visual storytelling connecting us to our history, diversity, and shared future.
Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI)
LAMI takes local youth out to sea—literally. They teach science, leadership, and resilience through hands-on education aboard tall ships like the Irving Johnson. For many students, it’s their first time on the water and an unforgettable gateway to growth and confidence.
Each of these groups serves a different part of the community, but together, they create the safety net—and the cultural soul—of San Pedro. Most don’t have corporate endowments or high-powered donors. They have us: our town, our people, our contributions.
For every organization I have named, there are ten other worthy and committed organizations doing important work in our community. Many may not survive the financial uncertainty of the next few years. If you have considered giving and know of organizations that pull at your heart, there is no time better than the present.
This season, skip the extra coffee run and consider setting up a recurring donation to one of these nonprofits. If a financial gift isn’t possible, consider volunteering, attending a fundraiser, or simply following and sharing their messages on social media. Every bit counts.
In times of challenge, San Pedro has always looked inward—and then stepped forward. Let’s do it again.
Let’s give where we live. spt
Lee Williams leads The Lee Williams Real Estate Group at REAL Broker and serves on the board of directors for Boys & Girls Clubs of the LA Harbor, San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, Harbor Connects, and the San Pedro Education Foundation. Email Lee@LAmove.com.
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