Los Angeles Mission's Blog

While working at my desk the other night, I couldn’t resist listening to the Larry King Live interview with Paris. If I hear the words “hotel heiress” one more time as her claim to fame I think I will scream (as I managed to do several times during her interview).

Paris is a great mistress of image. She knew what to say, how to say it for impact, what to wear and even when not to answer – Favorite Bible Verse? Silence!

I also screamed for joy when she related the plight of other women in jail who lack her benefit of world wide media coverage. Women we see on a routine basis coming in and out of the Los Angeles Mission. Women who need programs, support, justice, mercy and most of all the love of God! So, I hope Paris really did find a part of God in prison. I know many others “find God” in prison but very quickly get back to life as usual when they are released, never really trying to know God on a personal basis, or letting God’s principles work in their lives.

I look forward to seeing Ms. Hilton bring world wide attention to prison overcrowding, downtrodden persons, an inefficient and overworked justice system and those with little or no hope of getting ahead in life.

While she takes limo transportation for a while maybe she can focus her attention from driving to setting a course to improve the quality of life of those without a hotel fortune, trust funds and a family who cares. I’d love to see the passion for excellence of service in temporary lodgings espoused by Conrad Hilton applied by Paris Hilton to permanent housing for workers who cannot make it on minimum wage jobs – or worse yet – no wage lives.

But she, like all of us, needs to find the passion and causes that God places in our hearts. Then, by putting our heart, soul and mind into that cause we can impact the lives of others. We can truly “love our neighbors as ourselves.”

We at the Los Angeles Mission will continue to do what we do every day by giving hope, food, clothing, shelter and support to all those who come through our doors.

--Herb Smith, President

Thanks to the staff at Mayor Villaraigosa’s office I was able to attend the U. S. Conference of Mayors taskforce meeting on homelessness. I was pleased to see that the room was filled with persons interested in and supporting the cause of homeless services of all types.

The presentations by the Veterans Administration, Sword into Plow Shares and First Place for Youth were very informative. The political will exerted by Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco was evident in the presentations and his knowledge of the issues. I was struck by the “creative larceny” of ideas shared between mayors. The willingness to share ideas and best practices was evident and refreshingly unexpected by me.

What really struck me was the consistent theme from veterans to emancipated youth that homelessness in all cases shares a component of “emotional fragility.” We at the Los Angeles Mission realize and promote the need for healing of the mind and soul together with food, clothing and shelter. We believe that those we serve are best served with program first, housing second. That does not excuse us from assisting and referring those who would be better served by housing first, program second.

Good business leaders know that confrontation and healthy exchange of ideas creates the best practices models for business success.

My real concern is that housing first, which is being touted as the solution in the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Ten Year Plans to end Homelessness, is in reality only a solution to end homelessness. I believe all persons serving the homeless can agree that whether services come first or second we must have a commitment to services. Otherwise all the Ten Year plans will become like most corporate strategic plans, a dust collecting binder on a shelf.

--Herb Smith, President

Nearly everyone would agree that there are some things that are just right to do. For instance, take care of our bodies, treat others with compassion or share with those less fortunate than ourselves.

Yet, so often we find ourselves doing just the opposite. We overeat and under exercise. We demand justice of the rich and famous (Paris anyone?) but want mercy for ourselves. We hoard things we really don’t need when someone else does. Why?

Joel John Roberts in his blog of June 11, 2007, “The Real Reason for Drops in Homelessness,” talks about the numbers games being played by Los Angeles in dealing with the homeless crisis. Blue ribbon frameworks not completed into plans. Housing units promised not built. Shelter beds not added.

Some question shelters’ reason to exist rather than supporting this first string of a rope of rescue. Housing first is a great plan for some, but not everyone is ready for housing at the same time. The Los Angeles Mission provides overnight shelter and year long rehab programs. Both are needed to address the unique needs of the chronic homeless and those with addictions. Those for whom homelessness is purely an economic change are well suited to housing first initiatives. It is not an either/or but a both/and.

However, just like we sometimes choose not to do the things that are best for us, the homeless frequently do the same. Every night I drive out Skid Row and see rows of tents filled with people who for whatever reason have chosen to remain outside rather than to seek services from one of the Missions or other shelters. The frustrating thing for service providers is that we truly want to help --- but sometimes all we can do is wait patiently until each person chooses to reach out and accept a hand up. We build relationships, provide temporary services and pray that something in what we do will touch the hearts of those in need. We pray that some spark will ignite within them to create the desire to make a change. That is what really reduces the number of homeless persons!


Yes, as a community we have failed to provide sufficient services, shelter beds, housing units, education and jobs. If every person who is homeless wakes up tomorrow with that spark to change we are in deep do-do! But, based on the number of diets I have tried and failed and the time of denial between them, I think we are safe for a few days. That should give us time to work on a plan to improve services, build additional housing, add capacity to our schools and work on creating relationships that are held together with trust rather than selfish ambition or greed.

Time for coffee and …?

--Herb Smith, President

Because we at the Los Angeles Mission normally serve about 1500 meals a day to homeless and the poor I was intrigued by this most unique last request of a prisoner put to death in Nashville.

“Philip Workman had turned down the usual final meal of his choice traditionally offered the condemned, asking instead that a vegetarian pizza be given to a homeless person. Prison officials refused, but news accounts of his request touched a nerve with the public.”

As terrible as putting to death another human being is, I am amazed at the simplicity to thought and action demonstrated by Mr. Workman. I only regret that he didn’t heed his advice to help the homeless rather than commit a crime that caused his execution. I wonder, what would happen if just one day we as a society agreed to serve pizza to the homeless. What an impact. Every homeless and needy person in America eating pizza and realizing that somebody else cared enough to share. I can see the nightly news headlines now… pizza delivery has taken a new turn!

At the Los Angeles Mission we believe that hope begins with a meal. What hope might a national homeless pizza day generate? In the mean time, we will continue to serve those in need with respect and dignity hoping that in so doing we create relationships that offer a helping hand to those in need.

--Herb Smith, President

I was encouraged to read Joel John Roberts’ LA Daily News column Wednesday May 23rd. Joel is not alone with the frustration over the cat and mouse tactics of law suit and compromise instead of a comprehensive policy of providing places for people to live.

What is called for here is not another negotiated settlement limiting police tactics or allowing homeless access to city sidewalks on off hours. What we need is more beds, more support services and, as my dad used to say, the Moxie to get something done.

My English writing class called for answers to the following questions, here is my outline:

Who: Everyone – Nobody is exempt
What: Housing, jobs, services and spiritual hope
When: Now and for as long as it takes
Where: Across LA and the LA Basin
Why: Because it is the right thing to do
How: One project at a time

Anybody out there ready for a change to business as usual?

--Herb Smith, President

If you haven’t read this article by Troy Anderson, you should!

Like most publicly supported charities, raising funds is a large part of the job of a President at the Los Angeles Mission. I wanted to say that the mission is grateful to all the generous supporters of our efforts to help the homeless with meals, housing, rehabilitation and job training.

Yes, we could and would do so much more with additional funding. Yes, so much more is truly needed as indicated by Bob Erlenbush’s comments that we are not only not managing homelessness, we are not even close to ending or preventing homelessness.

But in the spirit of a Memorial Day Weekend, I thought we should remember from whence we came. We should give thanks to those who have so generously helped us in the past and who we pray will continue to support our efforts in the future as we care for those in need, one life at a time.

Government funds might be helpful, but nothing beats the independent spirit of our citizens and our commitment as a society to care for others here and across our planet. Swamped? Maybe, defeated in battle? Never!

A special thanks to our countries veterans and all those that envisioned and fought for a better world for all.

--Herb Smith, President