Los Angeles Mission's Blog

It is easy to see the results of the “Safer City” initiative. The streets of Skid Row are safer. Ask anyone, service providers, shop owners, or even the homeless – of course, don’t ask the drug dealers and troublemakers.

The Los Angeles Downtown News has had a story and an editorial about what one of the next steps is for the area. It is called HALO, an acronym that stands for “Homeless Alternatives to Living on the streets” (which is better than it could have been. HATLOTS doesn’t really work.)

One of the biggest problems with the chronically homeless is their refusal to go into a treatment program. The Los Angeles Mission has had plenty of success in getting people who have been on the streets for years through our program and into a restored life, but it often takes months or years of relationships before they are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Would the HALO program and its offer of community service time for minor crimes – community service in the form of getting treatment – a way to get the chronically homeless to try treatment? I guess time will tell – but anything is better than being on the streets. Those who suggest the program is coercive may be missing a key element. Prolonging time on the streets until permanent housing is available can be a death penalty. It will be years at best before permanent supportive housing is available in the numbers needed for Los Angeles County homeless.

Supportive treatment can make a real difference in the lives of those who are lost out there on the streets. We strongly back the idea of supportive housing for the homeless. But let’s not make the mistake of equating the idea of putting someone in a room with the idea of supportive housing. Restoration and recovery isn’t something that can be done alone. It takes a lot of support, physical, emotional, spiritual, even legal to restore a life.

Let’s let HALO have a chance, and the Los Angeles Mission will be available for anyone who desires the treatment, love and support it takes to turn their life around.

--Herb Smith, President

I’m always looking for creative ways to do what we do better. This certainly is a unique use of Twitter technology. It almost has me convinced to sign up!  LOL:

Mark Horvath is an advocate for the homeless who admits that if it wasn’t for Twitter he’d be homeless himself. Already homeless once before, Horvath knows how tough it can be. Whenever he sees a problem in his homeless community he uses Twitter as a bullhorn to get homeless people the services they need right away.

When he was working for the Burbank Winter Shelter in California, he was responsible for 150 homeless people waiting at a bus shelter about to get rained on. Driving around LA, he asked the Twitterati where he could find raincoats in bulk. He got advice to go to Sportmart and Costco where he cleaned them out of every raincoat they had. But one Twitter follower, Michael Buckingham was so enthralled with Horvath’s cause that he blogged about it and raised $453 to buy and ship Horvath another 100 raincoats in just two weeks. The influx of raincoat advice charged Horvath, who joked, “I was on a mission to turn every homeless person in Los Angeles yellow.”

In another case, Horvath had a homeless friend, John, who moved to Seattle for a job opportunity only to get mugged upon arrival. Feeling helpless because he didn’t know anyone in the area, Horvath tweeted out if anyone in Seattle could help his friend. It was 27 degrees that night and all the winter shelters were full. Within minutes, one person close by to John walked up and handed him $100 so he would have a place to sleep for the night. For the rest of his time in Seattle, another Horvath Twitter follower shared his one bedroom apartment with John.

--Herb Smith, President

Last week photographer Jamie Johnson donated a collection of her photography to the Los Angeles Mission.  Hung in our conference room, her haunting images of children and those surrounding them help us focus on those we serve.

We all know the power of photography for good or evil.  The article below focuses on a creative use of images to help foster kids.  How about a campaign to plaster these kid’s images on cereal boxes across the globe until we find safe and loving homes for all children.

CHILDREN'S TRUST MIAMI | HEART GALLERY

Photos inspire families to open homes to foster kids

The Children's Trust is hoping its photographic showcase of Miami-Dade children available for adoption will move visitors to take the first step toward providing a loving home.

By AUDRA D.S. BURCH

aburch@MiamiHerald.com

The Children's Trust Miami Heart Gallery unfolds on the second floor of a beautifully aged tower, 43 museum-quality photographs that capture the cautious hope and resolute spirit of 58 children who simply want a home.

Starting with Tajah, a delightful 7-year-old who earnestly escorts strangers to the portrait of her, displayed on the far end of the exhibit near a window that delivers a perfect shaft of evening light.

In the photograph, Tajah and her brother Cameron, 8 -- both A students and huge fans of Chuck E. Cheese -- are all smiles and hugs on the grounds of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

''Look at my outfit. It's red and blue. It might be the most beautiful outfit I ever saw,'' says Tajah, who also points out that Cameron's shoes are new and cool and shiny. ``Do you think the people are going to like us when see they our picture?''

The Heart Gallery, in its second year, aspires to use the power and honesty of photographic art to showcase Miami-Dade children available for adoption. It's a proven formula: Nearly half the children featured last year have been adopted or are in the process.

`UNCONDITIONAL LOVE'

''There's something, some story, that brings each of these children into the system,'' says Rachel Fasciani, community affairs and outreach liaison for Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe, a nonprofit child welfare agency that partners with the state to provide foster-care services. ``But they are also resilient, they just need unconditional love and support.''

This year's traveling exhibit of color portraits, shot by celebrated photographers, opens to the public Saturday at The Freedom Tower in downtown Miami and is available online.

''We want people to see the pictures and connect with the children and hopefully take the first step toward adoptions,'' says Emily Cardenas, senior communications manager for The Children's Trust, which spearheads the initiative. ``Their stories are so moving.''

The exhibit, along with the video and online components, takes aim at unsettling statistics: On any given day, more than 1,500 foster children are eligible for adoption in Florida, including about 320 in Miami-Dade. But of that local number, more than half are in some phase of the adoption process.

Last year's inaugural exhibit in Miami featured 70 children, many older or disabled or part of sibling groups -- all challenging to match with families. The show traveled around the county, making stops at Hialeah City Hall, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and Miami International Airport.

The result: Thirty-two of the 70 have been adopted or are in the adoption process. There were three failed adoptions, and four children from last year are in the 2009 gallery.

''This first year has been rewarding because we are able to change lives,'' Cardenas says. ``We are measuring our success not just in the number of adoptions but also in the building of community awareness about adoptions as an option.''

In one case, an aunt adopted her niece and nephew, ages 7 and 8, after seeing their portrait in the gallery.

In another case, as a couple prepared to adopt, the child they selected was placed with another family. They turned to the Heart Gallery and are now in the process of adopting an 8-year old girl and her 5-year-old brother.

The Miami Heart Gallery is based on a national model of other Heart Galleries in 80 U.S. cities. The first gallery opened in 2001 in Sante Fe, the humble efforts of a state child welfare agency that used photographs of children in foster care to generate interest.

In April 2007, the Heart Gallery of Broward County was launched with the portraits of 73 children, 15 of whom have been adopted.

In 2008, of the 98 children photographed, 38 are adopted or in the matching process. That year, the Heart Gallery added exhibition panels with information about mentoring, volunteering and donations. The 2009 exhibit, which includes 90 children ages 7 to 17, is on display at the Galleria Mall in Fort Lauderdale through June, then moves to Plantation.

''People look at these photos and they are moved emotionally. They want to do something for the child, but for whatever reason, some may not be able to adopt,'' says Barbara Schechter, executive director of the Broward gallery.

``So we now offer ways they can help the children. Maybe you can't adopt that child, but you can mentor the child.''

This year's exhibit in Miami features a rainbow of children whose portraits collectively capture the spontaneity, the wonderment, the freedom, the joy -- even the anguish of childhood.

A LOVING FAMILY

In just about every photo and its companion audio, visitors learn about the hopes and wishes of the children. Each conveys -- in a tender voice, or a soft expression -- that more than anything, they want a loving family.

Lazaro, 13, loves to play Dragon Ball Z video games and listen to hip-hop music and wants to become a doctor or a scientist.

Evelyn, 16, plays basketball and kickball and runs track. But she finds the most pleasure singing in her church choir.

Salvatore, 12, is a sports fan who one day wants to travel to California. For now, his goal is to earn better grades.

And then there is Jeremiah, the baby of the group. He is 2 years old with warm brown eyes and plump cheeks that demand to be nuzzled. His favorite game: peek-a-boo.

Antoinette, 11 and a pure girly-girl, stood next to her portrait, absorbing every detail: her fancy braided hair buns, the pink ruffled blouse, the sparkling lip gloss.

''I really like the way the lady did my hair for the picture,'' she says. ``And I like how big the picture of me is. I hope a lot of people see it and maybe somebody will call and I can go home with them.''

--Herb Smith, President

Listeners

Once again the listeners and staff of GoCountry came through for the Los Angeles Mission and most importantly those we serve.

We raised over 21,505 meals and care with this event. Thank you to the new friends who supported us and to those who once again responded to the need. Thanks to the volunteers that staffed the call center.

I am amazed that these incredible listeners don’t just listen to the lyrics of country music but respond to the needs of those so frequently sung about.

Thanks to all those who participated and to those who could not help this time. I invite any of you to visit the Los Angeles Mission and see first hand how your donations are being used every day.

Blessings to you all.

--Herb Smith, President

June 6th turned out to be a very good day for the people of Skid Row.  It was the second annual barbeque to kick off the Summer of Hope.  And the turnout was great.

The Los Angeles Mission hosted the event, and with some help from friends, about 15 hundred people got meals, a very nice hygiene kit, and shoes.  That’s right, new shoes.

The friends in this case are three wonderful organizations.  Soles4Souls, Hungry Hogs and Starvin’ Steers and Hope 4 Homeless.

Soles4Souls is a national organization that provides shoes for the homeless and needy all over the world.  Several of their folks including Christiana Nardozzi, Donald Faison (from Scrubs – the TV show), and CaCee Cobb (and various friends and family) gave out just under 1,500 pairs of brand new shoes.  Some very happy feet on Saturday.

Hope 4 Homeless is a group of UCLA students who have been coming down to then Mission to tutor our students.  They saw a need for health information, and put together some information sheets that we have been helping distribute.  Saturday, the brought hygiene kits with all kinds of things a person needs to keep clean, and handed them out to our grateful guests.  Thanks to Wendy Tseng (you remember her from this post when she was awarded the Charles E Young Humanitarian award).

Finally, we wouldn’t have been able to have a barbeque without Hungry Hog and Starvin Steer.  This group led by Bill Lawrence, Howard Roth and Michael Levin has worked with and supported the Los Angeles Mission for the past ten years.  This year they served “pulled” barbeque chicken, beef hot dogs and their own special baked beans.  HH&SS were recently named the Food Directors of the Mayor’s Office of Gang Reduction Summer Night Lights (SNL) program. 

A great Saturday – kicking off a great Summer of Hope

--Herb Smith, President