Los Angeles Mission's Blog

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

The Los Angeles Mission was honored to host a job faire for the skid row community on June 5, 2008. We had a wonderful turnout as you can see. We want to thank all those who participated for making it such a success.

In this difficult economic time, anything we can do together to provide jobs for those most vulnerable to homelessness is a great thing. And participating with Midnight Mission, Union Rescue Mission and others shows that together we can do more than any one of us can do apart.

Unemployment Rate Hits 5.5% as 49,000 Jobs Lost

Ric Francis/Associated Press
Johnnie Daniels, center, and Kerwin Barber, second from right, were among job seekers at a career fair at the Los Angeles Mission on Thursday.

The full New York Times Article PETER S. GOODMAN and MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM
Published: June 7, 2008

--Herb Smith, President

Dumping of hospital patients, some of the most vulnerable citizens of Los Angeles, has to stop!

The Los Angeles Mission has been the recipient of these “dumpings.” The fact is that unless certain hospitals find it more economically painful to not dump than dump, dump they will for the benefit of the bottom line. Some have voluntarily and effectively stopped by working with service providers. They have done the right thing without legal action. Some have not!

I urge the City Council of Los Angeles to proceed full speed with this ordinance and stop this horrific pattern of behavior. Jan Perry deserves an incredible pat on the back (maybe even a spa day!) for her tireless efforts on this issue.

County Supervisors, I appeal to you to act quickly and decisively to work with the City Council to end this once and for all.

See these articles for more information:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dumping15-2008may15,1,5391205.story
http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_9262764?IADID=Search-www.dailynews.com-www.dailynews.com

--Herb Smith, President