Established in 1952 for the Simon family’s philanthropic endeavors, The Norton Simon Foundation has played a prominent role in the cultural life of Southern California. It was an early supporter of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, which opened to the public in 1965.
The foundation is organized and operated for educational and charitable purposes. The Foundation focuses on the care, preservation and public exhibition of its art collection, and it provides financial support to the Museum.
When Hannah Davis  traveled to China to teach English, she noticed how Chinese workers and farmers were often sporting olive green army-style shoes. Those shoes served as her inspiration to create her own social enterprise, Bangs Shoes.