John and Sarah Kobara Family Foundation

What We Do

Our fund supports nonprofit organizations and causes that empower people to lift themselves over life’s obstacles. We focus on the challenges of residents in LA County who have historically and intentionally been marginalized.

The organizations we invest in have ambitious missions, strong leadership and innovative approaches to reducing suffering and addressing the causes of suffering. Our family invests our time, energy, networks, as well as our limited financial resources in these organizations.

• The Wishtoyo Foundation—Wishtoyo’s spiritual and cultural work (including the education program named after John’s mother) and the development of their First Nation Environmental Conservancy in Ventura.
• Students 4 Students—Student homelessness has reached shocking proportions in LA. S4S operates the only homeless youth shelter serving college students.
• Japanese American National Museum—Helping this pioneering institution build bridges of understanding from the lessons of our community is more relevant than ever. In the name of John’s parents who were both interned during WWII.
• Defy Ventures—John’s work over the last few years with entrepreneurs coming out of  incarceration has been the most gratifying and humbling work he has ever done.
• Coro Southern California—Nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on cultivating diverse leaders through hands-on, collaborative, cross-sectoral learning.
• MLK Community Health Foundation—Dedicated to improving the well-being and health of South Los Angeles residents.
• SCGA Jr. Foundation—Helping at-risk youth learn the game of golf  and its life lessons.
• Big Brother Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles—John has been an ambassador for the revelatory power of mentoring for decades—how it helps mentees and mentors alike. He was a Big Brother for 10 years and ran this agency before he came to CCF.

Thank you for helping us help others.

On the following donation page (click on the donate button), you may indicate your organization preference and make a secure tax-deductible donation online.

Join us! Every dollar given will be generously matched and 100% deductible.

You may also send checks payable to the California Community Foundation, noting that the donation is for the John and Sarah Kobara Family Foundation. Checks should be mailed to:

California Community Foundation
717 W Temple St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Donate Now

Contributions to the California Community Foundation represent irrevocable gifts subject to the legal and fiduciary control of the foundation’s board of directors. This charge will appear on your credit card statement as a payment to “Calif Comm Fdn – CCF”. In addition, California Community Foundation incurs a third-party administrative fee of 2.7 percent for credit card contributions. The foundation will charge the fee directly to the individual fund.