Jimmy Kimmel Donates $5 Million to Build Homeless Support Centers in Los Angeles: “No One Should Have to Sleep Outside in That Kind of Cold”

A Quiet Act of Generosity Becomes a Citywide Movement

In one of the most significant philanthropic gestures by a television personality in recent years, Jimmy Kimmel has donated $5 million of his own earnings to fund new homeless support centers across Los Angeles.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host announced the initiative during a small press conference outside a construction site in East Hollywood, pledging to build housing and resource centers for hundreds of people experiencing homelessness in his hometown.

“I’ve seen too many people here in Los Angeles struggling to survive cold nights without a roof over their heads,” Kimmel said, his voice breaking slightly. “This city has given me everything — my career, my friends, my family — and I promised myself that if I ever had the chance, I’d step up. No one should have to sleep outside in that kind of cold.”

The Heart of Los Angeles Housing Initiative

The project, called the Heart of Los Angeles Housing Initiative, will partner with PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) and Habitat for Humanity Los Angeles.

According to Kimmel’s team and city officials, the first center will open in late 2026, just a few miles from Hollywood Boulevard. In total, the project aims to provide 150 permanent housing units and 300 temporary shelter beds, along with essential services such as:

• Mental health counseling
• Addiction recovery support
• Job placement and training programs

City housing officials say Kimmel’s $5 million donation will cover nearly half of the estimated construction costs. Additional funding is expected from local partners and matching donors who have already expressed interest in joining the initiative.

“Jimmy’s contribution doesn’t just fund buildings,” said PATH CEO Jennifer Hark-Dietz. “It builds a foundation of dignity, opportunity, and hope.”

The Moment That Changed Everything

During the announcement, Kimmel shared a deeply personal story — one that made clear why this cause had become so important to him.

He recounted driving home from a late-night taping when he saw a young family huddled under an overpass, wrapped in thin blankets to fight the cold.

“It was freezing,” he said softly. “There was a little girl holding her mom’s hand, wrapped in a blanket that barely covered her. I thought about my own kids — and I couldn’t get that image out of my head. That was the moment I knew I couldn’t keep just talking about it.”

Witnesses at the press conference described the crowd as silent during the story, many visibly moved. When Kimmel finished, the audience — made up of city officials, housing advocates, and volunteers — rose in quiet applause.

Support Across the Industry

The announcement drew widespread praise, including from Kimmel’s late-night contemporaries. Jimmy Fallon wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“That’s the real Jimmy Kimmel — a man with a huge heart. Proud of you, buddy.”

Even some of Kimmel’s frequent critics in the media and political spheres called the act “a rare moment of humanity in Hollywood.”

A city council member attending the event called the donation “a model of what local leadership can look like when fame meets compassion.”

Beyond Charity: A Call for Change

Kimmel made clear that his goal wasn’t simply to make headlines or offer temporary relief.

“The people living on these streets aren’t invisible,” he said. “They’re just ignored. If every person who’s ever made it here gave back even a fraction of what this city gave them, we could change the landscape of Los Angeles forever.”

He emphasized that the centers were not intended to “solve” homelessness overnight but to help restore dignity and stability to those who need it most.

Housing experts have hailed the initiative as one of the largest privately funded community projects in recent Los Angeles history, particularly given its integration of social services and long-term housing solutions.

“No Politics — Just People Helping People”

At the close of the event, reporters asked whether this marked a new phase in Kimmel’s public life — perhaps a move toward activism or politics.

Kimmel smiled, shook his head, and replied simply:

“No politics, no headlines — just people helping people. That’s the only show I want to host right now.”

He then stepped off the podium to hug one of the outreach workers who will help staff the new shelters, drawing quiet applause and tears from the crowd.

Looking Ahead

Groundbreaking for the first site is scheduled for December 2025. Once complete, the Heart of Los Angeles centers are expected to serve nearly 1,000 individuals and families in their first year — offering not only a safe place to sleep but a real chance to rebuild their lives.

As Kimmel walked away from the microphones, a volunteer was overheard saying, “He didn’t just donate money. He gave us hope.”

And in a city struggling to reconcile glamour with hardship, that hope may prove to be the most powerful donation of all.