Greater LA’s Leading Alzheimer’s Nonprofit Separates from National Alzheimer’s Association

Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles Will Continue to Serve Los Angeles,
San Bernardino and Riverside Counties

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association, California
Southland Chapter announced today its decision to separate from the
national Alzheimer’s Association, creating Alzheimer’s Greater Los
Angeles (ALZGLA), serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside
counties. The announcement by Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles formalizes
the decision by its Board on December 16, 2015.

“As an organization separate from a national entity, Alzheimer’s Greater
Los Angeles will be able to expand upon our ability to provide client
centered, innovative and responsive programs and services that directly
meet the needs of our communities,” said Susan Galeas, president and CEO
of Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. “We look forward to a more nimble
and creative future that fully encompasses our mission and focuses on
care, inspiration and hope. With 100 percent of funding staying local,
we will be better able to do more in every area.”

The move to separate came after the National Alzheimer’s Association’s
board of directors voted this past October to consolidate all local
chapters into a single entity controlled from its Chicago headquarters.
With the decision to separate, 100 percent of all money raised by
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles will stay local for care and support,
advocacy, and research. Prior to the separation, 40 percent of
unrestricted donations were sent to the national organization. As a
separate organization, there will be greater freedom to partner with
major local, national and international cause-related nonprofits,
funders and businesses.

“The ability to retain all donated funds and make program decisions that
are relevant to the diverse Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside
populations were driving factors in our decision to separate from the
national organization,” said Mark Liberman, Board Chair of Alzheimer’s
Greater Los Angeles. “Our Board and Executive staff believe that the
growing needs of the communities we serve are best met by separating,
rather than consolidating into a single nationally directed group,
headquartered far from the individuals and families we have been serving
for more than three decades.”

The decision by the California Southland Chapter’s board follows similar
decisions made by other large chapters, including New York City, New
Jersey, San Diego and Orange County.

More than 10 percent of Americans (almost 600,000 people) living with
Alzheimer’s or another dementia and their caregivers are in California.
More than one third, or 200,000, of Californians impacted by Alzheimer’s
are in Los Angeles County alone. In the greater Los Angeles area, the
number of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias
(more than 275,000) is growing at an alarming rate, and the challenges
facing this community are becoming even more complex. Free programs and
services reach the Latino, African American, Japanese, Chinese and
Armenian communities, among others, over a vast geographical area, with
language appropriate and culturally relevant/sensitive materials,
resources and staff.

“We want to assure the communities we serve that there will be no
disruption of service,” said Debra Cherry, Executive Vice President,
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. ”We will remain acutely focused and
committed to the care of all those who rely on our programs, and we will
not lose a step in advocating on behalf of the cause or in funding
cutting edge research.”

In its new formation, ALZGLA will continue its 35-year history of
serving as a leading force in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, advocacy
and research. The experts in Los Angeles and surrounding counties
pioneered many of the programs, support groups, and educational
materials now offered across the country. Services provided by ALZGLA
include:

• 173 support groups in six different languages
• 3,000 family care consultations helping caregivers and families
  navigate the challenges of an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis
• Community outreach & education to hundreds of thousands of people,
  with special focus on Latino, African American, Asian Pacific
  Islander, and LGBT communities
• Training and education to healthcare, emergency responders, and other
  professionals
• Respite support
• MedicAlert/Safe Return

“Los Angeles is an innovative epicenter of scientific and clinical
research in Alzheimer’s disease, with a long and productive history with
the California Southland Chapter,” said Roberta Diaz Brinton, Professor
of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering and
Neurology of USC and Chair, Medical & Scientific Advisory Council,
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. “As an Alzheimer’s research community
across Los Angeles, we are gratified by the strong commitment and
support of Angelenos. We look forward to working closely with
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles to create scientific synergies uniquely
possible in Los Angeles that will enable breakthroughs in Alzheimer’s
disease for Angelenos and the world.”

About Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles

Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles (formerly known as Alzheimer’s
Association, California Southland Chapter) provides programs and
services free of charge to individuals with Alzheimer’s and related
dementias, their families, caregivers and the community. Low cost
training and education are also offered for professionals. Alzheimer’s
Greater Los Angeles began as an independent 501c3 nonprofit in 1982,
before affiliating with the national Alzheimer’s Association in 1984.
Effective January 7, 2016 all Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles
fundraising will stay local, focusing on care, support, advocacy, and
research across Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

Alzheimer’s is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that weakens the
memory and other cognitive and emotional functions. For more
information, call the Helpline 24/7 at 1-844-HELP-ALZ or visit www.alzgla.org.

Find Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ALZSoCal
Twitter:
ALZSoCal https://twitter.com/alzsocal
Instagram:
@ALZSoCal https://www.instagram.com/alzsocal/
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdWwLV0H5a3O67bcfbvSPg

Contacts

Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles:
Kara Bonela, 323-930-6265
or
Dan
Boyle, 818-209-1692