From the beginning, Linkdom has addressed its community service concerns in the area of educational, cultural, and civic commitment.

The first chapter established in the Western Area was the Los Angeles Chapter on September 16, 1950. 

In 1958, only twelve years after the founding of the organization, the National body adopted the program facet, Services to Youth. The objective of this program facet was to aid minority youth in America to find and fulfill their intellectual potential. Thousands of youth benefited from this program facet.

In the year 1964, The Links National Assembly embraced a second facet, The Arts. This program was launched around the theme of “Freedom and The Fine Arts.”

Also, at the 1964 National Assembly, the program facet, National Trends and Services was adopted. This facet was extended to include recognition of the international thrust.

Later in 1970, the program facet, International Trends and Services was separated from National Trends and was established as an Ad Hoc Committee. It gained full status as a program facet in 1978.

In 1975, Links joined the Celebration of International Women’s Year and were represented in the International Women’s Decade Conference. This involvement continues as an Ad Hoc Committee under International Trends and Services. For many years, Links programming was, for the most part, locked into separate program facets: namely, The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Services to Youth. Good work, even great work was accomplished in this mold. However, it was obvious that The Links chapters and Links nationally would benefit from concerted program thrusts where all facets were integrated in central programming with a major focus. This central focus programming concept is now generally known as “umbrella programming.”

Areas and chapters embrace programs that combine the effective coordination of all four facets into a “full umbrella program.” Such programming must relate to our purpose and thus embody the 1996 – 1998 National Links Theme “Linkages… Toward The Possible.”

The Los Angeles Chapter Links provide programming through adopted initiatives under five key Facets:

1. Services to Youth
2. The Arts
3. National Trends and Services
4. International Trends and Services
5. Health and Human Services

Los Angeles chapter members network within the local Los Angeles community to target and serve key strategic goals that impact the lives of thousands of people, volunteer thousands of service hours and contribute thousands of dollars annually to improve the lives of those most in need.