Los Angeles Mission's Blog

In the article “US Reports Drop in Homelessness” by Rachel L. Swarns printed in the New York Times of July 30, 2008, Congresswoman Maxine Waters is quoted saying: “While this is great news, we cannot rest because there is much that remains to be done.”

If only for a moment, there is a sense of progress helping the chronically homeless of Los Angeles. A decline in chronic homelessness is something we should all be applauding. Housing first or housing second, both work! Both require intervention and supportive services. Both are needed today, tomorrow and for the foreseeable future.

Let’s celebrate whatever good news we can find in these times. Then as Michael Stoops suggests in the same article, “we should be focused on ending homelessness for everybody.”

These are not easy times. There are tired new faces at our doorstep needing help. They are not chronically homeless yet. With guidance and support we hope their bout with homelessness is short. The number of people served at the Los Angeles Mission is increasing. The faces and stories are new but the sense of frustration and hopelessness are familiar specters.

The Los Angeles Mission continues to serve all who come to us in need. We are here to help as long as we are financially able. We have been here over seventy years in good times and bad. We will be here until there are no more persons in need. We will serve with dignity and offer hope along with tangible assistance.

--Herb Smith, President

To operate the Los Angeles Mission requires the good will and generosity of many diverse groups.

The creative folks at Whittier Area Community Church filled two storage “pods” with professional men’s clothing. Thank you to our partners at WACC who generously donated to help those we serve.

Check out this link to see what they did!

Your overwhelming response to the Men’s Clothing Drive
By randy
Your overwhelming response to the Men’s Clothing Drive for the men at the Los Angeles Mission is truly a blessing to all of the men who will benefit from your generosity. Our clothing room is full for the first time in years....
Senior Pastor @ WACC - http://pastorbillsblog.com

How about commenting about your efforts to help the homeless? Any suggestions on how the Los Angeles Mission can continue to improve what we do? I would love to hear your stories too.

Drop us a comment on the blog or an e-mail @ HSmith@lamission.net.

This article from Hitting Home: New faces join ranks of the homeless by Stephanie Armour, USA TODAY could just as easily be written for downtown Los Angeles as it was for Sandra Wright of Gary Indiana.

It used to be that those we serve came into the Mission for meals, beds and other services. Today we are seeing e-mail requests and a steady stream of those living in motels or cars that need help with food and clothing.

While we are not experts on real estate law, we do wonder why lenders are so quick to evict rent paying tenants in a rush to flood the market with even more vacant homes.  Homes that are then open for Southern California rave parties or with unattended swimming pools breeding mosquitoes with West Nile virus!

Here is the summary of Sandra’s story.

Sandra Wright, 37, and her three children and three grandchildren have lived in a rental home for about a year in Gary, Indiana.  The home has been foreclosed on, and she has until Friday to move out.

Wright, a housekeeper at a hotel, was worried that she’d wind up in a homeless shelter. But she’s hopeful of finding another rental in time because the lender on the home is offering her $1,000 if she leaves the house by Friday.

“I was worried I’ll wind up in a shelter,” Wright says.  “They could come and put everything out on the streets.  I’ve been praying a lot. All you can do is pray.”

--Herb Smith, President

There are lots of stories at the Los Angeles Mission everyday.  Inspiring stories of change and recovery – people who have successfully fought their addictions and regained their families, and some that are just plain frustrating.

Lately we have had some new types of stories.  People who are not fighting the typical Skid Row issues – but who are fighting the economy.  Here are a couple of those:

Let’s call her Maria.  Maria is a new face in homelessness.  She lost her job over six months ago.  She then lost her ability to pay rent and was forced into her car and living on the streets.

Maria has a new job … on-line proposal writing – freelance.  But without a home for her computer or a wireless connection in the back seat of her car she was forced to use computers at the library to complete her work.  Worse yet, she has no place to park near the library and was forced to drive back and forth when she could get enough gas money.

With no place to eat and with a suicidal attitude she reached out to the Los Angeles Mission for a place to park her car and someone to help fix her crashed computer.  Without the computer she would miss her deadlines and not get paid for the hours spent writing her last proposal.

Maria is not addicted, does not have mental illness except some depression from her circumstances.  Maria is a casualty of this economy.  We at the Los Angeles Mission have been able to help her but we are stretched to capacity with the new Marias who keep on coming every day.

Today we’ve seen a middle aged mom with no more hotel vouchers and an elderly mother, not to mention her disabled child!  Once again we have been able to help them find housing and some much needed household items.

The scriptures say to “…run and not grow weary.”  Easier said than done.  But with God’s help we continue to serve those who come to us in need. Will you help?

--Herb Smith, President