From the Field: Visiting 15 Social Service Partners Across Los Angeles County

"What struck me most was the sheer range of services these agencies provide — targeting the entire family, from adults to youth. Each one is uniquely embedded in its community and visiting them reminded me exactly why I went into social work in the first place."

— Christian Gale, MSW, Customer Success Manager

Over two and a half weeks, I visited 15 Benefit Navigator users social service partners across Los Angeles County agencies — offering everything from healthcare and financial assistance to food pantries, each deeply rooted in its community.

A highlight was presenting an impact award to The Salvation Army, whose pride and ownership of the Benefit Navigator — especially through the pilot phase — was genuinely inspiring.

Salvation Army receiving the Benefit Navigator Impact Award

My final visit, to CCNP Westlake, was particularly memorable. Their building is thoughtfully designed so each area serves a different age group, with a focus on empowering people and meeting essential needs. Their food pantry has grown significantly, and they've done meaningful work helping community members feel safe amid ICE presence — ensuring people can still access food, tax prep, and other critical services.

Across all 15 visits, the clearest takeaway was a strong desire to embed the Benefit Navigator into daily practice — not as an add-on, but as a core part of how agencies serve families. CCNP Westlake exemplifies this, and it shows.

Social service partners visited

New Economics for Women (Van Nuys)

New Economics for Women (Canoga Park)

Latino Resource Organization (LRO)

El Nido de Pacoima

El Centro del Pueblo

Bresee Foundation

The People Concern

Jenesse Center

The Salvation Army

Jewish Vocational Service (JVS)

Barrio Action

Housing Works

El Centro de Ayuda

CCNP (Westlake)

CCNP (Koreatown)

About Christian Gale

Christian holds an MSW from Smith College (2007) and made the move from the East Coast to Southern California to begin his social work career — without a fixed niche or a clear path ahead. Work in homelessness services opened the door to years of exploration and diverse roles, eventually leading him to Amplifi. What drew him here was a vision larger than social services alone: technology as a vehicle for empowerment, putting communities in the driver's seat and centering economic mobility as a pathway to lasting change. That vision is the heart of the Benefit Navigator — and what drives Christian's work every day.