Founded in 1914 to help newly arrived immigrants integrate into their new lives in Los Angeles, the International Institute of Los Angeles provides assistance to refugees and immigrants securing their first job, getting legal help, or finding child care providers so they can work outside the home.

Throughout the years, IILA has empowered hundreds of thousands of refugees and survivors of human trafficking with skills and resources to become self-sufficient and successfully start new lives in Southern California.

At IILA, our mission is to help families become self-sufficient and to promote cross-cultural understanding. Our corporate headquarters is located just east of downtown Los Angeles.

The Institute employs over 145 dedicated, multicultural staff providing child care, transportation, immigration legal assistance, nutrition and refugee services throughout Greater Los Angeles.

The International Institute of Los Angeles was established by the YWCA in 1914 to serve women and girls coming from Europe and Asia, offering immigrant women a rare opportunity to socialize. The goal was to assist foreign communities in their adjustment to live in this country.