About our Organization
EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides unique mobile shelters to homeless individuals and families.
The mission of EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) is to provide short-term, immediate mobile shelters to people experiencing homelessness. We distribute mobile shelter units through a network of partnerships in order to reduce the number of individuals sleeping in the open and to support their dignity and hope.
Meet The Team
Peter Samuelson
Peter Samuelson is a serial pro-social entrepreneur. In 1982 he co-founded the Starlight Children’s Foundation; by 1990 the positive psychological impact of Starlight seeded his next pro-social endeavor, Starbright World, co-founded with Steven Spielberg. 1999 saw the formation of First Star, and in 2005, EDAR, Everyone Deserves a Roof. In parallel to his philanthropy Peter has produced 26 films and raised four children. Educated at Cambridge and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA, Peter lives in Los Angeles and continues to fight every day for those less fortunate.
Robin Winston
As the volunteer Executive Director for EDAR, Robin Winston brings her passion for aiding the underserved to a broader community. Her other position, as the Chief Operating Officer of First Star which works to uplift communities by working to ensure foster youth have the academic and life skills necessary to succeed in post secondary education and beyond, has changed the lives of hundreds of foster youth.
Robin has been in the Los Angeles-based nonprofit sector for over 20 years. Prior to First Star, Robin worked with DoSomething.org as the Los Angeles Director where she oversaw the expansion of the New York-based teen social action organization, and before that spent seven years as a senior associate at Levy Pazanti, an event production firm. There, Robin spearheaded dozens of successful events for organizations such as the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, MOCA, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, HRC, Women in Film, and Heal the Bay. Robin received her Bachelor's Degree from UCLA in 1989. Robin remains an active volunteer for many of the nonprofit organizations she worked with previously. Prior to working in the nonprofit field, she worked in the entertainment industry.
Team EDAR
Saryl S. Hirsch
Treasurer and CFO, EDAR
Enrolled Agent
Marc Honorof
Director, EDAR
Founder & Publisher IndustryPods
Peter Samuelson
President, EDAR
CEO, PhilmCo Media
Eric Lindeman
Director, EDAR
David Hertz Architects, Inc.
Jeffrey W. Samuelson
Director, IT, EDAR
Robin Winston
Executive Director, EDAR
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Max Brimelow
Multimedia Producer, EDAR
About our mobile shelters
Why do homeless individuals use EDAR units? Aren’t shelter beds more comfortable?
Absolutely! But many who are homeless are not comfortable living in shelters and many shelters offer only temporary accommodation. Plus, in many larger cities, the shelters are at or above maximum capacity and do not have the funds to pay for more shelters. EDAR for sure is not as good as permanent shelter, but it is much better than a cardboard box under a freeway overpass.
Does EDAR work with other organizations to address related problems of homelessness?
EDAR partners with a network of philanthropic, governmental, and homeless advocacy organizations to assist in the distribution of EDAR units. For individuals who are not affiliated with one of these organizations and would like an EDAR unit, we will refer an individual to an organization so that they may receive a unit. Additionally, Members of our board and advisory board are very much involved with the homeless communities.
What security does EDAR offer to an individual from crime?
Living rough on our streets is inherently dangerous. In “day mode”, EDAR secures personal belongings using locks. In “night mode”, there are translucent windows that help each person remain aware of their surroundings. We work with our shelter partners to provide land on their property that will provide additional safety and storage.
Please describe an EDAR community.
EDAR communities are made up of 10-15 EDAR units creating a dormitory effect on land provided by a local authority or private entity. Restroom and shower facilities are integrated into the community and EDAR works with local homeless agencies to provide additional social services to the residents of the community. The Dome Village of Downtown Los Angeles was an example of a successful attempt to make use of unused land by providing a ready-made community.
Are EDARs hard for homeless individuals to operate?
We currently have EDAR users ranging from petite women to strong men and in a spectrum of ages. When designing the EDAR units, we ensured that EDAR was stronger than the average supermarket cart many homeless use. We developed wheels that are better than a supermarket cart's, being slightly larger and easier to steer in a consistent fashion. We have also included a brake and locking mechanism which ensures the unit will not move on its own.
