Conversations with Wade Trimmer

Today we’d like to introduce you to Wade Trimmer.

Hi Wade, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In my early 20’s, I moved to Los Angeles to continue my pursuit of a career in architecture. A few months after moving here, my roommate asked me to play wingman on a first date he had with a mutual friend of ours. I found myself in Westwood, standing in line for a movie at the Fox theater as my friends awkwardly flirted. As I was looking across Westwood square, a young girl locked eyes with me. She singled me out of the crowd and walked directly up to me and asked, “Would you be able to buy me some food?” Being new to LA, I was confused as to why a young girl would ask me for food. I asked her where her parents were, whether she was lost, etc. She finally looked at me and said, “You don’t get it. I’m 12 years old and I’m homeless.” My heart broke immediately. I thought, “how can a 12 year old girl be sleeping on the streets of LA?” I said goodbye to my friends and told them that I was taking her (Angel), out for a piece of pizza and I would see them after the movie. I spent the next couple of hours with Angel, listening to her story. She told me that there were hundreds of kids like her, living on the streets of Hollywood. As the night wound down, she told me that she needed to go make some money so she could pay for cheap motel room. Again, being naive, I asked her where she would get money at 9pm? She said, “You don’t want to know.” I told her I didn’t understand and she replied, “I sell my body to old men and I make enough money sometimes to get a motel room.” I couldn’t figure out how to help her or how to stop this horrific situation from happening. She said she had to leave so I gave her a hug and she walked into the night. I sat in the middle of the square, crying my eyes out. That night, I couldn’t sleep in my condo so I stayed up all night in a park, talking to God, the universe, source….whatever you want to call it and asking what I should do. The next day, I started calling organizations in Hollywood and asking if I could volunteer. I finally found an organization that would take me and within 6 months I was hired a caseworker at a drop-in center. Angel found me and I found my calling. That was 32 years ago. My career led me to building two homeless shelters in LA, founding two non-profit organizations, and working on homelessness for nearly 25 years. That path led me to where I am now, as the President of The Change Reaction.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Being on the front lines is difficult. I was faced with all sorts of traumatic events that my clients endured. I didn’t realize what an impact all of the exposure had on me until much later in my career. Also working in the non-profit sector forces you to be incredibly resourceful as you’re attempting to help people who a lot of people don’t care about. Funding cuts were common and still are to this day, which complicates things for the front lines. At an Executive level, I faced tremendous pressure – you have a staff to pay, hundreds of clients who are relying on you, and you’re constantly raising money while also holding down the operations. Despite the challenges, it is all worth it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m the President of The Change Reaction, a philanthropic organization that believes generosity should be direct, personal, and immediate. We provide direct financial assistance to individuals in crisis—most often through the trusted hands of frontline workers like social workers, nurses, and teachers. What sets us apart is the speed and simplicity with which we operate: when someone is facing eviction, hunger, or job loss, we respond within hours, not weeks. We’ve distributed over $42 million in direct support to more than 40,000 Angelenos, and we’re expanding our model to other regions.

What I specialize in is reimagining philanthropy—breaking down traditional barriers between wealth and need, and building a model that is deeply relational, radically efficient, and grounded in dignity. I’ve spent over three decades working with people experiencing homelessness, running nonprofits, and building bridges between the worlds of wealth and need.

What I’m most proud of is restoring humanity to the process of giving. In a system that often dehumanizes both givers and receivers, we’re creating a new story—one where generosity flows through trusted relationships, and where people in crisis are met with trust, respect, and agency.

What sets me apart? I lead with heart and strategy. I’ve helped wealthy individuals build solar fields in Uganda, fund scholarships in Mozambique, and invest in hyperlocal solutions right here in Los Angeles. I’m known for blending compassion with execution—seeing what’s possible and making it real, fast.

What were you like growing up?
I grew up just north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the midst of several Native American reservations. I grew up by a river and would catch trout with my hands, search the hills for ancient ruins and pottery shards, was an avid skateboarder in high school and a major risk taker. I’ve always developed my relationship skills and my sense of humor. As a young child, I was very sensitive to the suffering of others. I would ask my Dad to pull over to help a traveler with a broken down car, or invite the kids from the neighborhood to have dinner with our family. I loved teaching kids how to ride their bikes, play baseball and soccer, and I was very accident prone. My poor parents were always dealing with an ER visit for cuts requiring stitches, mending broken bones from jumping my bike to high, and skateboard accidents. I always seemed to have a cast on some part of my body.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.changereaction.org
• Instagram: the_changereaction
• Youtube: The Change Reaction