Each year, we are part of a program that allows us to open extra shelters during the winter months. This year, we are running Winter Shelters in Downtown LA, Glendale, Culver City, and West LA. Not only do these shelters provide a warm bed for someone who might otherwise be sleeping out in the cold and rain, but they are crucial in helping guests become aware of Union Rescue Mission and all the services we provide!
Please take a moment to hear from Sandra, the Glendale Winter Shelter Program Manager, on how great an impact the Winter Shelters are having on hundreds of people, some of them experiencing homelessness for the first time. Sadly, these shelters are only open from December through March of each year, which leaves many people asking “Where can I go?” in less than a month. We would love to see the Winter Shelters open year round, but are unable to do this on our own.
There are two ways you can help make a difference; first, you can advocate for the Winter Shelters by contacting the Governors office and local city officials to ask that National Guard Armories be opened year round, and that the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority be more substantially funded. This way, the shelters in place can remain open wirh sufficient case management and support services to assist people experiencing homelessness in finding more permanent solutions. Secondly, you can donate to help support the costs of keeping these shelters running.
Please take a moment and hear from Sandra about our Winter Shelters
On the rooftop of the Union Rescue Mission, Wednesday April 8th, 2009, Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo announced that a settlement agreement has been secured with College Hospital for the dumping of as many as 150 psychiatric patients in and around skid row over a two-year period.
PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY ROCKARD J. DELGADILLO
L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo Secures Settlement with College Hospital Over Dumping of Psychiatric Patients on Skid Row
Groundbreaking Injunction Against Dumping of Psychiatric Patients
His office has secured a settlement agreement with the hospital that will establish a groundbreaking injunction prohibiting College Hospital’s Costa Mesa and Cerritos facilities from dumping psychiatric patients in and around skid row, new protocols for the discharge of homeless patients with mental disorders, and $1.6 million in civil penalties and charitable contributions.
College Hospital has agreed to pay $1,200,000 in charitable contributions to a number of organizations that care for the mentally ill and the homeless, including Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services, Men Chabad Residential Treatment Center, Lamp Community, the Midnight Mission, New Image Emergency Shelter, and the Union Rescue Mission.
“To think that medical institutions that are charged with caring for this extremely vulnerable population would then turn around and dump them in the streets is despicable. Today the City is saying think twice before you do it again.” ~Councilman Jose Huizar
The first annual Hearts and Souls for Homeless Families was held on Saturday April 4th at Soul Studios in Hollywood. World renown celebrity photographers Jack Guy, Bill Curry, Sheryl Nields, Jason Willheim, Scott Miller, Eric Raptosh, Gregg Segal, Jordan Nuttall, Lee Jeffries and Alfredo Falvo donated their work for a silent auction that raised much needed funds for the Union Rescue Mission.
Hollywood celebrities Sean Brosnan, Christian Gibson, Catherine Mary Stewart and Michele Scarabelli joined URM CEO Andy Bales in honoring Steve Lopez–Los Angeles Times columnist and author of The Soloist. Mr. Lopez was awarded as Union Rescue Mission’s first ever Hero for Hope Honoree for his long-standing support of URM. Through his influential journalism, Mr. Lopez played a vital role in the success of URM’s battle for Hope Gardens Family Center. His writing continues to significantly impact the community at large, raising awareness, compassion and change toward the homeless cause.
During the event Mr. Lopez shared inspirational words, encouraging the crowd on hand to care for the less fortunate.
HEARTS AND SOULS FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES
FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AUCTION ON EBAY
BENEFITING UNION RESCUE MISSION
March 25th – April 3rd
The number of families needing our help has risen 400 percent
The number of meals served per day nearly doubled
The number of food boxes given out to local residents is up 7 times (CLICK HERE)
To view and bid on iconic works by renowned photographers including:
Jack Guy, Bill Curry, Sheryl Nields, Jason Willheim, Alfredo Favo,
Gregg Segal, Jordan Nuttall, Scott Miller and Lee Jeffries
Christopher Cadelago of the Burbank Leader writes about the closing of the Burbank Winter shelter on Sunday. The Union Rescue Mission and EIMAGO Inc have operated the winter shelter since Dec. 1, 2008. A total of 473 men and women have been provided meals and a safe place to sleep since the winter shelter opened.
Union Rescue Mission’s CEO Andy Bales is concerned about what will happen to the individuals who sought shelter over the last few months and would love to see the shelter remain open.
But the chances of that happening are slim, said the Rev. Andy Bales, chief executive of the Los Angeles Union Rescue Mission, the shelter’s operator.
“Not only do we have to contend with the shrinking economy and growing unemployment, which I believe is actually closer to 20%, but now we’re in the process of listening to complaints from neighbors and doing our best to address them,” Bales said. “It’s something that needs to be done to keep us up and running.”
Bales said he met Friday with Councilman David Gordon, who shared with him some of the community’s concerns. Among them are problems with loitering, public urination and homeless people arriving at the shelter at all hours of the evening.
Another complaint lodged against the Union Rescue Mission and EIMAGO Inc., the nonprofit that takes care of day-to-day duties, is that volunteers have failed to keep criminals away, specifically sex offenders.
To tackle issues of loitering and walk-ins, Bales said, the Union Rescue Mission has spent about $40,000 on increased shuttle service to and from the facility in the last month.
Sue Doyle and Troy Anderson, Staff Writers for the Daily News, interview Union Rescue Mission’s CEO Andy Bales about the potential impact of the new state budget.
The California Budget Project estimated 234,400 children statewide could be dropped from the welfare rolls, including 75,380 in Los Angeles County. Additionally, in- home care services for 81,000 Californians, including 34,290 in the county, could be eliminated.
Andy Bales, president of the Union Rescue Mission, said the possibility that tens of thousands of children could be cut from the welfare rolls would only exacerbate the rapidly growing homeless problem in the county.
“We’re already facing a tsunami of homeless families,” Bales said.
“Our fourth floor is completely full of homeless families and we have begun to fill up our chapel with families sleeping in pup tent-like units.”
Union Rescue Mission was glad to read the latest article from Andrew Blankstein and Cara Mia DiMassa of the Los Angeles Times about the decrease in deaths on skid row.
The number of people who died on downtown L.A.’s skid row has declined by 36% in the last four years, according to city records, the latest sign of major changes on what for decades has been the city’s epicenter of homelessness and drug-dealing.
Excluding murders and suicides, 60 people died in the skid row area in 2008, according to Los Angeles Police Department statistics. In 2005, there were 94 such deaths.
60 deaths is still far too many, 1 is too many, and we won’t slow down our efforts until the day when no deaths are reported and we live up to our title as the City of Angels with no human being having to live on the mean streets and sidewalks of Skid Row.
At Union Rescue Mission we have taken several steps to assist in this effort. During the summer heat in LA we deliver over 1500 bottles of cold water each day that the temperatures rise to 85 degrees or higher. You can see a documented case on video of a man whose life was saved through URM’s efforts by watching the video below. URM has also played a major role in slowing the dumping, or improper dropoffs of patients on Skid Row by area hospitals.We’ve worked hard to make URM more welcoming and added210 beds to help move people from the streets and supported the Los Angles Police Department with their Safer Cities Initiative.
Hope Gardens Family Center, a ministry of Union Rescue Mission, is a transitional housing and residential facility in Sylmar, California that helps women and children move out of homelessness and build better lives. The Campaign for Hope Gardens is a multi-year effort to fund the purchase and renovation of the center and expand programs promoting empowerment and self-sufficiency to this underserved community.
Please watch for our new web pages coming in February. For information regarding Hope Gardens Family Center, please contact Ginger Morris, Associate Director, The Campaign for Hope Gardens at: 213-316-2760 or gmorris@urm.org
Union Rescue Mission welcomes Hope Worldwide, a national volunteer organization, on Monday, January 19, 2009. As the nation takes a “day off’ on this national holiday, Hope Worldwide Los Angeles has organized a “day on” in commemoration of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and vision for a beloved community. The organizationwill be represented by national dignitaries and about 300-400 volunteers to clean, beautify, and revive areas in and around the URM facility.
Volunteers will be dispatched to all 6 levels throughout the facility painting and deep cleaning residential dorms, restrooms, hallways, office doors, windows, and even lending hands in the laundry department. Volunteer work projects will go on all day from 7:00am to 4:00pm.
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Over the last year, Union Rescue Mission has produced a series of short documentaries titled Stories from Skid Row. These short films are a behind the scenes look at the lives of individuals who are being served, as well as the staff and volunteers at URM. Stories from Skid Row provide a glimpse into the issues surrounding homelessness and the work being done to combat this serious problem in Los Angeles.
We will continue to produce the series throughout 2009. Please share these with your friends and family. There are several way for people to view the films and keep up with the latest stories. Click on the logo below for information.
