It has been our honor to participate with LAHSA (Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority) in 4 of their Winter Shelters throughout Los Angeles from December 1st to March 15th. We utilized the National Guard Armories in Glendale, Culver City and West LA, and added 200 beds to our downtown URM facility, to operate these Winter Shelters. We contracted to operate 660 or so beds, but found many nights that we were housing up to 820 guests at these timely, thoughtful Winter Shelters during much of the rain that we have experienced recently.
We chose to jump into this opportunity with our pubic benefits charity, not because it helps us earn extra money, or any other reason except that it helps us fulfill our mission: to embrace people experiencing homelessness. It also helps us regionalize the solution to homelessness, the 4th step in our 10 step plan http://youarethemission.org to end homelessness as we know it in Los Angeles. We firmly believe that every region, city and neighborhood in Los Angeles County should provide services and housing to assist their own neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, rather than sending their struggling folks downtown to the mean streets of Skid Row; as I describe Skid Row, it is the worst man made disaster in America and we need to end Skid Row as we know it by regionalizing the solution to homelessness.
It has been a joy to participate in these thoughtful, helpful Winter Shelters. We’ve seen people arrive at our shelters just 30 minutes after being evicted from their homes, experiencing homelessness for the first time. We’ve seen senior adults, adult males and females, young ladies running from abusive relationships, young unemployed people, and families with children. It has been an honor to be there to greet them with a warm cot, good meal, and a roof over their heads in their time of need. The challenge and heartache is coming up quickly; the closing of the Winter Shelters is on March 15th! On that day, the armories close, funding runs out, and the cots go to a warehouse and the precious souls who do not connect with other hard to find services return to the streets. It is hard for me to bear. I grieve for days. I already am grieving.
The 7th of 10 steps in http://youarethemission.org , is a call to keep the Winter Shelters open year round as a much needed safety net! There are more deadly things on the streets than just the bad weather. Homelessness itself is deadly, taking decades off the life of an individual and doing devastating damage.
Why in the world would we close down this vital safety net? How can we send folks out to the streets who want to stay in a place that provides a roof over their heads and a connection with case management and vital services? The Governor of California, during these extraordinary times, could declare a state of emergency, keep the armories open, and our city and county could team up with us and the other agencies running shelters to make sure that these 1600 beds stay open, and that our friends experiencing homelessness could be provided with a shelter long enough to get back on their feet. It could cost as little as $1,000,000 per shelter to operate them at capacity(150-200 persons each night) for 1 year.
For the sake of these precious souls, would you consider contacting the :
One of the most important skills I’ve developed over the 25 plus years I’ve been involved in this work, is the ability to take a strong punch from life’s circumstances. I took a couple of them last week. A friend that I had shared about in a previous blog, who I ministered to for 10 years had finally sobered up, took a job, and was doing very well until he fell back into drug use, and fell off the wagon, so to speak. That is hard to take, especially when you see so much hope and promise in someone. But I won’t give up. He is again in my sites and in my prayers.
Another friend, Brennan Harvey, better known to all of us in Pasadena as Johnny Redbone, died last week of cancer. I worked 10 years with Johnny, but was never able to help him get off of the mean streets. Johnny did not get off of the streets until he entered the hospital this Fall, but he is off the streets now, and at rest, I believe, in the arms of our Loving Lord.
I saw real heart change happen in Johnny’s life, even if his circumstances did not change and his addictions did not cease. When I met him, he angrily called me, “White Boy!”, and told me that “you took our land!” Johnny was Navajo, from Southern Arizona, and I remember defending myself by holding out my tan arms and sharing with him that my Great Grandmother was Cherokee. That did not quell his anger at first. When I visited him in the hospital just a few weeks ago, his attitude had changed completely. He called me “Pastor Andy” as we prayed together.
There were some challenging, even humorous times. I remember Johnny telling me that he had just been in court for public drinking. He shared that the judge reminded him that this was his 76th Public drinking charge! Johnny answered, “Judge, every evening the folks in the houses around the neighborhood have a beer after dinner, and just because I don’t have a house to have a beer in, I get arrested!
I saw evidence of heart change over the years, in Johnny’s heart, and in mine. One night, on Maundy Thursday, I was serving up front at church, and feeling some pressure to do things right on this Holy Night. I watched Johnny walk in the back of the church, intoxicated, and I panicked! What kind of scene would come of this! I forgot all about my role as Pastor of Community Outreach, as advocate for people experiencing homelessness, about James Chapter 2:
James 2:2-5 (ESV) 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
Fortunately, my friend Randy saw Johnny’s predicament, made room for him in his aisle, and sat with Johnny throughout the evening service. Randy lived out James chapter 2!
After the service, Johnny arrived on my front porch adjacent to the church, and sat with me. “That was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed!” said Johnny. My heart melted with a mixture of thanks and shame. Thanks for Johnny’s response to the Gospel message, and shame at my panic.
That Sunday evening at our weekly bible study, Johnny prayed a prayer, “Oh Great Spirit, I am not the man I want to be! Help me become the man you want me to be!”
From that night on, Johnny no longer referred to me as White Boy, but as Pastor Andy, and it was always said with love.
The last time I saw Johnny outside the hospital, he was waiting at the end of my driveway with a friend, Otis. “Pastor Andy, I am hungry! Do you have anything to eat?” I quickly made 4 ham sandwiches, grabbed some crackers, cookies, and soft drinks, and gave them to my friends. I gave Johnny a hug, with tears in my eyes, and told him how glad I was to see him.
I imagine that as Johnny passed from death into eternal life, he was greeted by our Loving Savior, Jesus Christ, who hugged him at the entrance and said, “Johnny, welcome! I am so glad to see you!
I’m compelled to weigh in on “the letter” circulating around the community and apparently headed toward Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s desk.
I received the letter, and was invited to sign on in agreement with the conclusions and corresponding actions it outlines. Instead of signing on, I alerted some LAPD commanders to what I believe to be yet another attempt by some to remove the helpful police presence from Skid Row, and return this area many of us have worked so hard to change back to the deprived, predator & drug infested hopeless state it was in less than a decade ago — depicted so accurately in the tragic scenes featured in “The Soloist”.
Among the disturbing sentiments made in the letter is the statement that since crime has been reduced by 33% on Skid Row, it is therefore time to move police away from Skid Row and to more dangerous parts of our city. The police presence is the reason for this crime reduction and an absence of police would be followed by a return to lawlessness. As it is, there is still far too much crime and violence on Skid Row, especially against women, and some of the crime has moved into the permanent-supportive housing projects of some of the letter’s signers. There have been documented cases in the last year where leaders of gangs heading up drug sales move in, take over several apartments, require residents to package and sell drugs under the threat of violence. And it has been reported by reputable sources that some leaders of these housing groups actually dissuade their employees from reporting the crimes or cooperating with police.
I have met people on the street, displaced from their permanent-supportive housing units by the violence inside of these poorly managed complexes. When we gathered for the annual memorial of those who had died on the streets of Skid Row, the longest list of names of those who died came from within these permanent supportive housing complexes. Don’t get me wrong. I am all for permanent-supportive housing for the people most impacted and devastated by years of homelessness, but we need well-managed, safe permanent supportive housing complete with the much needed services that will help people live a hope filled life. That is not possible when gangs and drug sellers are allowed to occupy the housing units, and it will take a continued strong police presence to keep Skid Row and the housing units safe.
I do agree with this statement in the letter;
“First, SCI should shift towards community policing. The police on Skid Row should engage residents in a partnership aimed at developing solutions to problems and increasing trust in the police.”
I am all for this kind of engagement, and partnership with police and residents to develop solutions. However, it is unfortunate and insincere of some of the writers to ask for this shift of engagement, partnership and development of solutions when they have unfairly criticized, exaggerated the facts, and even dissuaded their own residents and staff from reporting crime and cooperating with the police.
I also take issue with another statement in the letter;
“Second, policing should focus on serious crime, and stop issuing routine citations for such petty offenses as jaywalking, littering, and loitering.”
Jaywalking is dangerous for all, and especially deadly for those who’ve been left on the streets. The writers should better study the “Broken Windows” approach to policing that has helped bring about the transformation on Skid Row. I wish this effective approach would be taken in my own neighborhood, where illegal parking goes unchecked, leads to drug sales, and eventually violence and shootings. Are the writers already forgetting that it was two of LAPD’s officers on horseback, stopping and apprehending the killer of beautiful young Lily Burk because he was drinking in public on the streets of Skid Row? In the words of Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz of the LAPD, “Samuel was seen drinking beer on a Skid Row street and arrested for investigation of possessing narcotics paraphernalia because he allegedly had a crack cocaine pipe” Diaz said.
One of the final requests of the writers of the letter has already begun in a strong way;
“Third, SCI should prioritize connecting residents to services.”
Agencies like Volunteers of America, PATH, Union Rescue Mission, Midnight Mission, the Weingart Center and others have already been active in an SOS program that provides the option for the residents of Skid Row and other neighborhoods who have been arrested to choose a 21 day program instead of jail time. The LAPD and City Attorney’s office have been active players in this option as well.
I am one of the few social service heads to join the LAPD in their community policing and time after time I have seen them assist people in need with appropriate services, from expectant moms to whole families to men ready to give life another try, the LAPD often refers people to the help they need.
I will say it one more time, the LAPD has done and is doing their part to clean up the streets of downtown LA and to transform Skid Row, but their part is only about 10% of what needs to be done. The rest of the transformation lies on the shoulders of the social service providers and the politicians, those who wrote and received “the letter”. We need to step up our efforts to provide the resources to build more housing opportunities and services throughout LA, regionalize the solution to homelessness, and after we’ve built the housing, provide the supportive services and management to sustain it and move towards the day when not one precious person will be left on the streets of our city.
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback and pray that those who can will join us in the fight to end homelessness as we know it in Los Angeles. Click here to send a message directly to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa urging him to maintain the police presence on Skid Row.
A friend of mine asked me about Haiti and Pat Robertson’s claim that Haiti had signed a pact with the Devil. While I do not believe Mr. Robertson’s unfortunate claim, I have seen evidence in Haiti that Satan is alive and well. I attribute that to a lack of hope, a tremendous lack of opportunity, a lack of basic infrastructure, structure, and weak greedy leadership.
During a mission trip to Haiti in 1999, I learned that in desperation, all of the fruit trees had been eaten bare, many of the trees had been burned as firewood for warmth and there were no birds because they had been eaten too. Aid to the Government from other countries had been pocketed by greedy leaders instead of invested into working water systems, electric plants, or sewer systems and people were often on the edge of all-out riot in response to the difficulty they were living in. When we traveled we would see tires being placed in the road and lit on fire to protest the conditions and the lack of government response. We learned that many of the men had several wives and households, and they would sit and play dominoes while the women and children went hungry or depended on charity as there were not many prospects for employment. I tried to use an outhouse at the Missionary compound that we stayed in and when I walked in it was filled with large tarantulas-over 100. I did not stay to use the facilities! I saw evidence of voodoo worship throughout my visit, Mardi Gras parades filled with raucous crowds and violence, and at one point I was even threatened by 10 spear wielding men who had painted themselves with tar and colorful paint. I still have the video. It was a very scary, hopeless place that appeared to be on the edge of violence at all times.
Recent news reports from Anderson Cooper on CNN show that not much has changed since my trip in 1999. Haiti is so troubled that while thousands of people were trying to rest in an open park, others were screaming, “Flood, Tsunami” causing the poor resting souls to panic, run, and drop what little goods they had. Then the opportunists would run in and take the dropped precious goods.
Haiti reminds me of the condition Skid Row LA was in when I arrived, but on a much larger scale. When I came to Skid Row there were over 2000 desperate people on the streets and Commander Andy Smith of the LAPD described it as Mardi Gras on crack. Skid Row had not signed a pact with Satan, but was severely lacking hope, opportunity, structure and strong selfless leadership. The change brought about on Skid Row through the investment of resources, the Safer-Cities Initiative of the LAPD, the building of new permanent supportive housing, the renewed outreach efforts, our own welcoming of over 600 more guests into URM, and some self-less leadership gives me hope that things can change in Haiti, even after this devastating earthquake.
What I learned early on in my work in difficult neighborhoods, Haiti, and Skid Row LA is that the desperation, misery, hopelessness, and even destructive behaviors present were not caused by the sins of the people in these areas, but the sins of all.
Romans 3:23 (NIV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
This includes Pat Robertson and me! Most folks on Skid Row LA have been abandoned and forgotten by the world. Some have actually been dumped on the streets by others, including hospitals! Others were born into circumstances without opportunity and were never given a chance of success, while many of us took every opportunity to care for ourselves and not look back. This is true regarding the world’s relationship with Haiti as well. Likewise, I left Haiti in 1999 and did not have the courage or wherewithal to return to try to offer hope and change things. This is more a reflection of me and the rest of the world’s shortcomings than the people of Haiti.
If we leave one precious person on the streets of Skid Row, or if we turn our back on the people of Haiti, in their time of need, the sin and shame of that will be on us.
Charity alone will not change things. Charity alone has left the people on Skid Row and in Haiti dependent on others for daily sustenance just to survive. We must move beyond that. We at URM are pursuing the creation of a grocery store, business center, and the building of additional housing on Skid Row, in a pursuit of our 3 year goal to cut the number of people living on the street of skid row by 90%. We need to have a holy discontent and not tolerate one precious human being left on the streets of our city. We need to have that same holy discontent and no longer tolerate the conditions that the beautiful precious people of Haiti are living in. Before this devastating quake, 80% were living below poverty, 50% were illiterate, and they were living 5 persons to a room. I can’t even imagine the conditions or numbers now. This is the time to take action and make sure that no one in our hemisphere has to tolerate these unbearable living conditions.
Like we are seeing on Skid Row, the transformation of Haiti will take someone, some entity to come in with capital invested in opportunities that will both provide servant leadership, needed resources, and the hiring of the people themselves to build the needed homes and services. Haiti needs someone to come in with resources, hire the Haitian people, and build affordable safe housing, electrical and water infrastructures, and restore the food infrastructure.
Despite the despair and hopelessness I witnessed during my trip to Haiti, what has stayed in my mind is the tremendous beauty of the people and the hope, courage and strength they possessed.
I am compelled by Jesus Christ and the Gospel to do all I can to act now to help these precious ones. My heartfelt prayer is that many will join me. Together, we can bring hope to their land.
Job 31:16-40 (NIV)
16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary, 17 if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless– 18 but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow– 19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment, 20 and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep, 21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court, 22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint. 23 For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things. 24 “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ 25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, 26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, 27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, 28 then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high. 29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him– 30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against his life– 31 if the men of my household have never said, ‘Who has not had his fill of Job’s meat?’– 32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler– 33 if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart 34 because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside 35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense–let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing. 36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown. 37 I would give him an account of my every step; like a prince I would approach him.)– 38 “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears, 39 if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants, 40 then let briers come up instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Isaiah 58:6-12 (NIV) 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
I don’t know about you, but I made more than 1 New Year’s Resolution this last week. I started the first one this morning. When I arrived at Union Rescue Mission, I took the stairs rather than the elevator – good for my heart and my waist line! I was fortunate enough, or unfortunate enough, to battle an illness and busyness through the Holidays that helped me lose 15 lbs! I have resolved to lose another 15 lbs by March 1st. I am avoiding desserts, fried foods, and I am determined to eat more vegetables! I am going to make time to ride my bicycle enough each week to strengthen my heart as well. I also re-committed to taking time each day to read a couple of Read Through the Bible programs and daily devotionals, something I committed to last November 1st, after hearing my friend and mentor John Perkins say, “How did I persevere? By being discipled in the Word of God!”, but I let that one slip on too many days.
However, my biggest resolve this year is to do what I can and say what I must to change the heart of this great city of Los Angeles, and help us live up to the title of the City of Angels by ending our reign as the Capital of Homelessness in the U.S. I know hearts can change towards people who are experiencing homelessness, because I had my own change of heart 24 years ago. One day, one of my students mistreated a “weaker” student and it broke my heart. So I preached Matthew 25 verses 31-44 to them, where Christ returns, separates the sheep from the goats, and He says, “come and take my inheritance prepared for you since the creation, for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. For whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did it unto me.” It was the best sermon I have ever preached! The following Sunday, just days later, I was eating in my booth at the parking lot that I worked at on the weekend. A man who was homeless asked me for my sandwich. I said, “No, I need my sandwich.” His face dropped with disappointment as he walked into the darkness and out into the snow. Immediately, I heard that still small voice. “Andy, here was your chance to practice what you preached, and you missed it.” I prayed for another chance. I found the man and fed him dinner. That’s the day God truly changed my heart. I’ve been working in Missions and with people who are experiencing homelessness ever since.
Today I would strongly suggest that it is impossible to be a true believer or a faithful religious person if we practice spiritual disciplines like prayer, bible study, worship, even fasting, but do not respond with love in action to human beings, brothers and sisters who are living on the streets of our city. These struggling people represent Jesus Christ on earth, and our response to them is our response to Jesus himself. Matthew 25:31 sums it up well, but it finds its root in Isaiah 58:6-11 (ESV):
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Will you resolve with me, to work toward the day when not one precious human being will be left sleeping on the streets of our city? Learn more about how you can take action at youarethemission.com
Thank you, for all of your support to Union Rescue Mission! Christmas is approaching and Union Rescue Mission is a very busy place. For the first time in our history, we are housing over 1,000 precious people under our roof each night, and on Dec. 1st we opened another 660 beds at 4 Winter Shelters in Glendale, Culver City, West LA and downtown URM.
We are feeding an astounding 3200 delicious meals each day to our regular guests, and an additional 1,320 meals to our Winter Shelter guests from Dec. 1st to March 15th. The best news is that since opening our 5th floor wing especially for families new to homelessness last Fall, we have re-launched 41 families back into their own housing, complete with donated furniture from our warehouse.
Like all of our families, these precious children and their dad showed up at URM somewhat shell-shocked. Thanks to your support, they now have a place to call home.
As if that were not enough to keep us hopping, we stepped up to the challenge of opening up our 18th annual Christmas Store December 18th & 19th. We gathered gifts, transformed our URM Chapel into a Department Store like setting, and invited 1,000 families to come and shop, free of charge, for their own families. This allows parents the dignity of providing for their own children, and allows children to enjoy the gift of giving a gift to their parents.
We couldn’t even begin to take on these challenges without your support. If you’ve already sent an end of year gift,thank you! If you have not yet sent an end of year gift, I want to invite you to partner once again with us in this life-saving and life changing work.
A wise young man was in my office the other day. We had a great chat, and he invited me to an interesting event that is a new concept – An Idea Camp. He asked me to consider talking about the high cost of being in a position like mine, as CEO of Union Rescue Mission. I instantly thought about what I could share:
the cost of time-24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
the price my family has paid over the years because of my commitment
the cost to my health as I often worry and fret too much about finances
with that, the cost of feeling the load to keep employees on the job
This is just a start to the list of the high cost of being in charge that I will share at the Idea Camp, but the highest cost came this weekend. That is the high cost of heartache. While I was away over the weekend, visiting my 15 month old grandson, I received a call that one of our original pioneer Seniors, Mary Jane, who moved into Hope Gardens on August 8th, 2006, and not only changed her own life, but helped secure Hope Gardens to receive our single moms with children later in June of 2007, had lost a long struggle with cancer. Shortly after this call, I received word that one of our former young residents had lost their life in a tragic incident in their own home. Today, I received word that one of our moms will enter into treatment for a serious, life threatening ailment, and her children will need to go into foster care just before the Christmas Holiday.
Our team had some moments of silence, tears, and prayer this morning as we met and reflected on the weekend and week’s events. One of the leaders around the table had called me during all of this and said, “I guess when I signed up for this I didn’t consider that it would sometimes involve domestic abuse, other forms of violence, and even death.
Yet, when you decide to work on Skid Row among sometimes very desperate people, that is exactly what you sign up for. That decision to work among and love people right in their desperate situations does come at a high cost. The high cost of heartache.
The good news is that with that high cost and high investment comes high returns. More often than not, in fact 65 % of the time, we see total life transformations. For me, those kinds of returns are worth the cost, and help me cope with tragic losses and the heartbreak that comes with those losses.
Union Rescue Mission in LA is the oldest Rescue Mission in Los Angeles and the largest Mission of its kind in the United States. One of our best kept secrets to success is the impact volunteers have on our organization. We have nearly 14,000 volunteers that come to give of their time throughout the year. This allows us to house over 1,000 people a night at Union Rescue Mission downtown and our Hope Gardens Family Center in Sylmar and feed more than 3,000 meals each day at a greatly reduced cost, as volunteers join our staff to prepare and serve the meals, teach in our learning centers, tutor children, carry out special activities, and provide much needed love to our guests. This ability to serve our guests well at a greatly reduced cost is an incredible benefit, but it does not come close to the benefit received by the delivery of much needed love by our volunteers. One very special volunteer in our cafeteria shows up to serve the guests each day, and does so faithfully, but she also has a nearly 50 lb. purse loaded with candy that she hands out to the 130 children under our roof, and to the nearly 400 grown men as well. Getting candy from anyone is special, but it is the love that this volunteer and the candy represents that is so life-changing to children and adults who have been devastated by homelessness.
I credit the difference inside our Mission, as compared to the violence surrounding us on the streets of Skid Row, to the love delivered inside Union Rescue Mission by volunteers. While the streets around us are filled with crime, drug use, violence, and even death, once inside URM there is warmth, peace, hope and life. Our committed staff plays a part in this, but our swarm of loving volunteers transforms the environment.
URM is not the only beneficiary. I once had a poster inside my office with a Dr. Martin Luther King quote: “10 steps toward getting rid of the blues: do something for someone else and repeat it 9 nine times!”
I have followed that principle in getting the blues/depression out of my own life, and I believe that our volunteers have learned this secret as well. Nothing is more satisfying or healing than giving yourself and your time away to others who are struggling in our society.
I have had friends find their life’s passion and work by taking time to volunteer. A friend of mine had a passion for carpentry. He had an office job, but came down, volunteered at our Mission, and built a wonderful stack of strong shelves for our food storage. Soon he volunteered for other building projects and realized what a gift he had for building. He now builds $1,000,000+ homes. I am still looking for my own hidden talent like that! :)
Another friend of mine, a CFO for an insurance company, met me for lunch and shared his heart with me. He had a burden for young people experiencing homelessness. After our meeting, he volunteered in our work. He found his life’s calling and purpose. He left the high paying job to launch a very successful program for young people. It is called Hope For Homeless Youth. Taking that first step into the waters through volunteerism helped him discover his passion and make a huge impact on his community.
We’ve recently had several large corporations join us at URM for, what I call, Acts of Kindness Day. We line up about 12 acts of kindness throughout our building and our community; delivering cold water to people on the streets, handing out socks and sandwiches, working in our kitchen, BBQing for our families on the rooftop, karaoke with our kids, volleyball in the gym with our guys, footwashing along with new socks and shoes for our men and women. Certainly our guests were blessed by these events, but I believe that the corporations experienced a wonderful time of team building and joy.
As you can tell, I believe in volunteerism for selfish reasons. Volunteerism makes my job easier, helps me achieve our Mission’s objectives, and transforms our environment. However, I also appreciate volunteerism for some selfless reasons, as I watch the positive life changing effect it has on those who volunteer.
For more information on how you can become involved, check out our Volunteer Page!
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority on October 28th released its 2009 Homeless Count. There was remarkable news – the total number of persons counted in this latest survey decreased by 38% compared to the total number of homeless persons counted in 2007.
Among the 48,053 homeless individuals in Los Angeles County Continuum of Care, the survey identifies 4,885 individuals in 1,840 homeless families in our community, reflecting a stunning 70% drop in homelessness among families with children during the last two years.
As agencies that advocate for and provide housing and services to homeless families throughout Los Angeles County, we have a unique perspective on these numbers.
The results of the survey suggest that our concentrated efforts and focus on successful strategies is making an impact on reducing the number of homeless families throughout Los Angeles. We have on our staffs experienced skilled professionals who understand the unique challenges associated with family homelessness. We have strong partnerships with public and private agencies committed to our common cause. Our program models are successfully demonstrating positive outcomes.
However, we feel that the 2009 Homeless Count substantially understates what those of us on the frontlines of addressing family homelessness are seeing on the street. A sampling of data from providers that focus on family homelessness indicates a 40% increase in family homelessness between 2007 and 2009. Confirming this perception, the Los Angeles County’s Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) recognized 7,500 homeless families in January 2009, the same month the Count was conducted, a 49% increase from April 2008.
Families who are homeless have been referred to as the hidden homeless: they typically are less visible than chronically homeless adults. They may live in an automobile or on a friend’s living room floor, and spend the day at the mall or a city park. With a child in a stroller, the family’s homeless condition is less noticeable to the public, or even to outreach workers. These are some of the reasons families are under-represented in the Homeless Count.
We fear these numbers will likely get worse before it gets better. Family homelessness tends to lag behind unemployment by six to nine months. As we endure the worst economic plunge since the Great Depression and the unemployment rate soars past 12.7% across the region, we are bracing to support a surge in the number of homeless families, possibly rising to 10,000 homeless families in LA County alone.
If homelessness was truly decreasing in our community, we’d be the first to celebrate. However, our experiences from the frontlines indicate that the problem is getting worse, not better.
For this reason, the release of the 2009 Homeless Count should be a call to action to continue investing in solutions that work. We need resources to dramatically accelerate the pace of affordable housing development and to provide more Section 8 housing vouchers for families. We need additional resources to help families who are currently homeless and those who are at risk of losing their housing in the near future. Most importantly, we need a regional, collaborative and aggressive approach to end family homelessness.
Despite surging demand and diminished resources, agencies across Los Angeles County that address family homelessness remain dedicated to battling this crisis. Let the 2009 Homeless Count be a call to all of us in Los Angeles to rededicate ourselves to addressing this unconscionable crisis once and for all.
Reverend Andy Bales
CEO
Union Rescue Mission
Jill Govan Bauman
President and CEO
ImagineLA
Devorah Brous
Executive Director
Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness
Rabbi Marv Gross
CEO
Union Station Homeless Services
Tahia Hayslet
Executive Director
Harbor Interfaith
Stephanie Klasky-Gamer
President and CEO
LA Family Housing
David Littlehales
Executive Director
Rio Hondo Temporary Home
Union Rescue Mission’s initiative to end homelessness in Los Angeles.
We cannot live up to our name, the City of Angels, while leading the Nation with the highest population of homeless individuals and families living on the streets of our Community. Los Angeles County has 3% of the nation’s total population, but 10% of its homeless population. It’s time for the people of Los Angeles to rise up and take positive action to bring an end to the epidemic of homelessness in our community. It is time to replace homelessness with hopefulness. Hope for a better life off the streets and help from those individuals and organizations who can pull together to make this a reality.
We need a coordinated set of strategies to address this problem. One size does not fit all – no single strategy will work for everyone who is experiencing homelessness. Homelessness is a complex issue with a variety of underlying causes that require different solutions. When you get to know the people who are living on the streets you’ll find that they are usually struggling with some deep, emotional pain: the result of abuse, neglect, or trauma of some kind. This unresolved pain leads to a withdrawal from community and healthy relationships, if in fact, they ever existed. The pain often leads to addiction as a coping mechanism which causes the individual to spiral downward. The earlier the pattern starts, the more likely that there will also be a lack of life, educational, or vocational skills. Finally, serious mental or physical health issues can compound the problem, making recovery very difficult. Most of the men and women who are struggling with homelessness experience some combination of these elements.
The longer one remains in a state of homelessness, the more damage is done and the higher the barriers or obstacles to overcome. Finding solutions then comes down to a question on an individual level of the severity of the barriers or obstacles to overcome, the resources that can be brought to bear to address the challenges, the motivation level of the individual to accept help and work through his/her issues, and the level of support given by the community.
With your help, we are launching an initiative to reduce the population of people on the streets of Skid Row by 90% in 3 years, cut the number of people who are homeless in LA County by 50% in 7 years, and in 10 years end Los Angeles’ reign as the Homeless Capitol of the United States. We are calling this “You Are the Mission” because it’s a challenge for all of us. You are the Mission to end homelessness in Los Angeles!
The following is not a comprehensive solution, but outlines a 10-step framework to help us reach these goals.
1. Heart Change. We need to change the way we talk and think about people who are homeless. We need to stop saying the homeless, addicts, transients. These are precious people, made in the image of God, who are currently experiencing homelessness. People should never be defined or labeled exclusively by their current condition. They are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters. We don’t see the potential and possibilities within people when we label them. When we look the other way and choose to ignore them, we de-humanize them and diminish their value. We need to look into our own hearts, change our thinking, learn to say “but by God’s grace, there go I” and ask “What can I do?” to make a difference.
Action Steps:
Take time to get to know individuals experiencing homelessness. Hear their stories, understand their struggles, and put a human face on this issue.
Train yourself to think and speak differently about people who are homeless.
Engage others in this discussion. Language shapes our thinking and when we change our language, we begin to see things from a different perspective.
2. We need to not make excuses for inaction based on myths. Some in the faith community respond to poverty and homelessness by quoting Jesus, “The poor you will always have with you”. They use this to justify inaction, and develop an attitude of complacency. This ignores the rest of His words and the context. “The poor you will always have with you so be kind to them.” He is quoting Deuteronomy 15 – “There should be no poor in the land if you are obedient. However, since there is disobedience, both personally and corporately, there will always be poor in the land, so have an open hand to your brother and sister. Lift your brother and sister out of poverty.” Jesus’ words are not an excuse for inaction, but a Call to Action!
Action Steps:
Have a holy discontent in regards to precious human beings living on our streets and take action!
Volunteer, learn how to address this human tragedy with wisdom and compassion, take to the streets with acts of kindness, give to agencies making a difference and providing effective solutions to homelessness, speak up and advocate for those who have no voice or power!
3. No one should be evicted to the streets. Families with significant barriers and challenges should be referred to a structured, transitional housing program like URM’s Hope Gardens Family Center in order to gain the skills they need to maintain housing. Families falling on hard times with low barriers should be connected immediately to Rapid Rehousing programs like those currently being offered by LA Family Housing, PATH, URM’s Project Restart, and others. We are encouraged that the federal government is makings timulus funds available to provide case management and temporary financial assistance to rapidly re-house families that have fallen into homelessness in this difficult eceonomy. Every effort should be made to keep families from experiencing the devastation of homelessness. Individuals should be referred to other agencies even when there are difficult circumstances – never put out on the streets with no other options. URM has made it a practice to provide a van ride when referring even a difficult client to another agency. We do not accept the premise held by some that homelessness is a legitimate lifestyle choice that should be accepted and protected. Homelessness is bad for individuals, families, and communities. The longer one remains homeless, the more damage one suffers and chronic homelessness becomes an early death sentence.
Action Steps:
Advocate for more structured, transitional housing programs.
Encourage faith communities to connect people experiencing homelessness with available resources and consider establishing a structured transitional housing program.
No one solution is best for all. Become educated about the causes and appropriate solutions for various groups of people experiencing homelessness.
4. Solutions to homelessness should be regionalized. Each city, suburb, and region of southern California should provide services to serve their own neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. We must end the policies of corralling, containment, and dumping of people who are struggling and experiencing homelessness on Skid Row in Los Angeles. Union Rescue Mission and the partners who stand with us are willing to consult, collaborate, and if needed, develop regional satellites to provide regional solutions to homelessness.
Action Steps:
Begin a movement to meet the need. Envourage your neighborhood or city council to address the need in your own community. This is everyone’s challenge and opportunity – not just a downtown problem.
Encourage your community to open a winter or year round shelter.
Encourage your city or faith community to provide affordable housing for low-income families and individuals.
5. Connect families with a mentoring team. Union Rescue Mission is partnering with Imagine LA, working with churches, faith communities, and other agencies on a plan to connect families experiencing homelessness with a mentoring team who will walk with the family as they transition out of homelessness. We will also ask faith communities to reach out to a family in their own vicinity who is on the edge of homelessness, and work together to prevent this family from ever experiencing the devastation of homelessness. There are 8,000 homeless families in LA County, and 8,000 faith communities in LA County.
Action Steps:
Connect with your faith community and encourage them to embrace this idea.
Arrange a meeting for your faith community with Union Rescue Mission and Imagine LA.
Raise your awareness level of neighbors/families in need and help connect them with your faith community.
Faith communities need to reach out with marriage counseling, financial counseling, parenting classes, and fatherhood initiatives to strengthen families, prevent family disintegration, and address the root causes of homelessness.
6. Adopt best practices in community policing. Communities throughout greater Los Angeles need to adopt best practices in community policing in response to their homeless populations. There are homeless individuals and families in every community, and each municipality should take responsibility to address the issue intelligently, effectively, and compassionately. Helping individuals access services, advocating for more local services when they are lacking, maintaining reasonable community standards, dealing effectively with the drugs and crime that often accompany homelessness, and investing in the training of police officers and other community officials are all important components of a comprehensive approach to reducing homelessness. We salute the efforts of the Los Angeles Police Department and its Safer Cities Initiative. The LAPD – Central Division has been instrumental in helping to reduce the number of people living on the streets of Skid Row, connecting individuals with vital services and bringing about a 39% reduction in violent crime, a 43% reduction in property crime, and a 71% reduction in street deaths over the last 4 years. In addition, Los Angeles is one of the few major cities where violent crimes against the homeless are in decline. We applaud the efforts of Captain Blake Chow, Sgt. Deon Joseph, and the LAPD- Central Division.
Action Steps:
Volunteer to walk along or ride with LAPD as they do community policing.
Join URM in outreach on the street before LAPD carries out a maximum enforcement.
Mentor an individual participating in our Just In Reach program who is returning to their community from incarceration.
7. Advocate for year-round shelters. As a safety net, we applaud Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA) for its thoughtful Winter Shelter Program. We ask that the City and County fund it sufficiently and that it can be expanded to a year round opportunity so that anyone who becomes homeless can have a roof over their head and a place to sleep in safety.
Action Steps:
Speak to the Governor and ask for National Guard Armories to be opened year round.
Speak to City and County officials to more substantially fund LAHSA so that the shelters can not only be open year round, but also have sufficient case management and support services to assist people experiencing homelessness into more permanent solutions.
8. Support services for chronically homeless individuals. We applaud LA County’s Project 500, which focused on providing permanent, supportive housing with comprehensive services for the most chronic, high-barrier, homeless individuals on Skid Row. We also appreciate and support the continued county-wide efforts to identify individuals throughout the region who would benefit from an expansion of this project. Both of these initiatives are necessary. However, we also ask that an additional investment is made to fund a Project 500 focused on Skid Row, which contains the greatest concentration of chronically homeless and devastated individuals in the United States. Permanent, supportive housing is the best solution for many people who have been devastated by long-term homelessness. We applaud partners like Beth Sandor from Common Ground for focusing on this initiative and we are proud to support their efforts. We especially applaud the great service provided by SRO Housing in providing permanent, supportive housing along with strong management and services to address underlying issues.
Action Steps:
Speak to County Supervisors and City Council members to encourage more permanent supportive housing both in and outside of Skid Row along with supportive services.
Join us as we take to the streets with outreach and connect people to services and housing.
Mobilize your business, community, or faith community to take to the streets with acts of kindness and engagement.
9. Understand significant barriers that must be overcome. Many who become trapped in homelessness have significant barriers to overcome before they can return to a productive life on their own. The longer one remains homeless, the greater these barriers become. Devastating emotional impacts, addiction issues, criminal pasts, and insufficient job or life skills are all conditions that hold people back and keep them trapped in homelessness and poverty. These barriers are not insurmountable or permanent, but usually require a structured, long-term recovery process that is available at agencies like Union Rescue Mission, the Los Angeles Mission, Midnight Mission, Salvation Army, the Weingart Center and others. These agencies have helped thousands of individuals and families address and overcome their obstacles and return to the community as productive citizens. The positive impact of these long-term programs should not be overlooked with the current focus on Permanent Supportive Housing or Rapid Re-Housing as solutions for homelessness. These Housing 1st initiatives are the best solution for certain segments for the homeless population, but will not address the needs of the entire population.
Action Steps:
Support effective life transformation programs: they offer a great return on investment, altering the future for individuals, families, and generations to come.
Attend graduation events: see for yourself how lives can be transformed and encourage these folks who have had the courage to give life another try.
Come alongside and mentor one of these graduates. The greatest contributor to ongoing success is the relationship established between a mentor and an individual as he transitions from program to community.
10.Help with employment-related opportunities. One of the most important follow-up opportunities to a life transformation program is a Job Opportunity. We plan to invest more in employment training, job skill development, and connection to career opportunities. Our partner Chrysalis, who has done this most effectively, serves as a model to others and deserves recognition and support.
Action Steps:
Share your skills to teach employment readiness and job skill classes.
Encourage employers to hire people who have successfully graduated from these programs.
Support Chrysalis and others who are doing this vital work.
Please join with us in this important cause! Our website http://urm.org will continue to be updated with information and resources to help you make a difference.
Get involved personally. Invite your family, friends, faith community and workplace to join you in this cause and let’s work towards the day when there are no more homeless people on the streets of LA.
