Los Angeles Mission's Blog

Today I noticed the article focused on Dr. Kim Reyes who has been a supporter of the Los Angeles Mission. It was so encouraging to see someone helping those in need in the area of their passion. Medical care and compassion are in short supply on Skid Row and in many parts of Los Angeles. Kudos to Dr. Reyes and the Burbank Temporary Aid Center for reaching out and touching those in need with such a tangible act of kindness.

Please read the full article below:

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Her faith inspires prevention
Burbank Leader - CA, United States
Any remaining flu shots will be donated to the Los Angeles Mission, Reyes said. Reyes’ faith in God drives her passion to give back to the needy, she said, ...

--Herb Smith, President

Pardon the country tone of this blog. I’m sitting in the studio of GoCountry 105 for our Feed the Hungry radiothon!  (If you want to donate call 213-629-1227 or click on the “donate now” button on this website.)

We are raising funds for the Mission to help feed the hungry in LA.  Yesterday the US Department of Agriculture released numbers on hunger in the US of A in 2007.  The numbers are staggering as you can see here in this Michael J. Sniffen Associated Press story excerpt.

“Some 691,000 children went hungry in America sometime in 2007, while close to one in eight Americans struggled to feed themselves adequately even before this year's sharp economic downtown, the Agriculture Department reported Monday.

The department's annual report on food security showed that during 2007 the number of children who suffered a substantial disruption in the amount of food they typically eat was more than 50 percent above the 430,000 in 2006 and the largest figure since 716,000 in 1998.

Overall, the 36.2 million adults and children who struggled with hunger during the year was up slightly from 35.5 million in 2006. That was 12.2 percent of Americans who didn't have the money or assistance to get enough food to maintain active, healthy lives.

Almost a third of those, 11.9 million adults and children, went hungry at some point. That figure has grown by more than 40 percent since 2000. The government says these people suffered a substantial disruption in their food supply at some point and classifies them as having “very low food security.” Until the government rewrote its definitions two years ago, this group was described as having “food insecurity with hunger.”“

And we know that in 2008, in fact in the last month, we have seen more people coming to the Mission for meals than last year at this time.  Our meal service was up about 5% in September.

The Los Angeles Mission works hard every day to assure that nobody; man, woman or child, who comes to the Mission goes away hungry today or tomorrow.  Hunger in the US of A is not OK.  Help us eliminate this most basic of human needs here and across our fragile planet.  Go Country – Go Planet.

--Herb Smith, President

The Los Angeles Mission was honored to be a polling site for the first time during last Tuesday’s elections.  We value the right of all citizens to vote.  We encourage all citizens to vote their conscience on the issues.

We were pleased that several of our students were interviewed by the media in stories highlighting their first voting experience. Here is an article from Reuters quoting one of our neighbors who voted for the first time.

Historic election stirs homeless to vote

• Reuters - USA
• I wanted to be part of that," said Williams, who lives in a transient hotel a few blocks from the polling station at the Los Angeles Mission. ...

We wish those elected great success in their public service and we thank those who lost for being willing to step up and accept the challenge to serve this great country.

Regardless of who we voted for, we now need to rally around those elected to help move this country towards greatness with equality for all.  The Bible says our leaders are “God’s servants.”  We pray for God’s blessing on their leadership.  We also pray that they will remember our greatness as a people is found in those we serve, not in those that serve us.

--Herb Smith, President

This article taken from the United States Inter Agency Council on Homelessness newsletter was so good I thought you should read it in its entirety.  On the eve of the elections I hope whoever is elected will continue this type of forward thinking.  For way too long youth pay a huge price when they leave foster care – with homelessness often being the end result.

WASHINGTON, DC. New federal foster care measures that will expand choices and supports in the foster care system are key to bipartisan legislation signed recently by President Bush. The "Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008" will affect the almost 500,000 young people in foster care and addresses several key prevention and support issues which are related to the high risk of homelessness faced by more than 25,000 aging out youth each year. Up to a third of foster care youth are estimated to experience homelessness after leaving the foster care system.

The new law reauthorizes the Adoption Incentives Program for five years and increases incentives for special needs and older child adoptions; give states the option to use Federal funding to provide maintenance payments to relatives who serve as "kinship guardians"; establishes Family Connection grants to connect foster children with family members and assist them in meeting the needs of the foster children; and allows federal funding of child welfare systems established by tribal entities.

Called by supporters the most significant reform of the foster care system in a decade, the new law passed by unanimous consent in the House on September 17, under the leadership of Representatives Jim McDermott (WA) and Jerry Weller (IL) and in the Senate on September 22, with the support of Senators Chuck Grassley (IA), Max Baucus (MT) and Jay Rockefeller (WV).

"For years we've waited for the void to be filled in policy and resources for young people aging out of foster care and their caregivers," indicated United States Interagency Council on Homelessness Executive Director Philip Mangano. "With this legislation now law, prevention of homelessness is a more viable outcome for those aging out."

Specifically the new law requires increased transitional, education, and health supports and allows states to choose to use federal foster care assistance up to the age of 21 if youth are engaged in school, work, or other constructive activities; requires transitional plans for youth aging out of foster care; requires a plan for the educational stability of every foster child and assurance of their school attendance; requires improved oversight of the health care needs of every foster child, covering their assessment, treatment, medical records, and medication; and requires reasonable efforts to place siblings together when removed from their homes, or if not possible, to allow ongoing interaction.

The new law also support caregivers who are relatives of young people, providing federal reimbursement to states choosing to provide assistance to grandparents and other relatives who become legal guardians of children for whom they have cared as foster parents and providing $15 million per year for Family Connection Grants to promote kinship navigator programs and other initiatives designed to connect and help relative caregivers.

New provisions for tribal foster care include providing direct federal foster care and adoption assistance to tribal governments for children in their care and $3 million per year to provide technical and start-up assistance to tribal foster care programs. Incentives for adoption are also expanded under the Adoption Incentives Program, which provides financial bonuses to states increasing the number of children adopted out of foster care. Federal adoption assistance will be provided to all special needs children.

--Herb Smith, President

The latest idea to protect the homeless is to make crimes committed against them “Hate crimes.”  Did anybody ask them if they wanted to be elevated to this status beyond the men and women they interact with every day?

Those that I see here at the Los Angeles Mission are either more concerned about getting through the day or in changing their situations to become productive citizens again.  They are much more interested in matters of equality and acceptance.

Time had an interesting article that caught my attention linked here.

But, I agree with the LA Times editorial linked here. 

I am also a strong advocate of the homeless and their needs. I believe the justice system doesn’t need more rules, just more commitment to the laws already in place.

Those who would elevate such crimes to the status of “hate crimes” would be well advised to focus on addressing the larger issue of crime so that all citizens can be protected equally.  That way the status of “hate crimes” will be unnecessary because society has moved beyond such inherent prejudice. All persons are created equal. Let’s focus our energy on making that a reality in 2008!

--Herb Smith, President