SANTA VISITS SKID ROW KIDS AT LOS ANGELES MISSION CHRISTMAS EVENT

Toys, Meal Highlight Holiday Event

Los Angeles ---December 22, 2006--- It didn't seem like one of the poorest parts of Los Angeles on Friday as the Los Angeles Mission served a festive meal to thousands of men women and children. But truth be told, most of the kids were quickly finished with the meal so they could visit Santa, and receive a big bag of gifts. Nearly 600 children received age and gender appropriate gifts - all donated to the Mission by the Los Angeles community and businesses.

As 2006 winds to a close, the plight of the homeless is still in the news. Lots of media and government attention has improved some conditions on Skid Row, but the Los Angeles Mission still finds many coming each day for emergency services or to take advantage of a program designed to help them find the path off of the streets.

Friday, however, was a holiday, a day away from the normal Skid Row atmosphere. Fifth Street was converted into a giant outdoor dining room with an atmosphere of love and respect. And the donated toys, carefully wrapped by volunteers, were put in the hands of excited children.

Mission President Herb Smith spoke directly to the community of supporters: "We couldn't do any of this without the generosity of the people of Los Angeles. People want to help, and when they feel that an organization is solving a problem they reach out. Christmas is a perfect time to see how much the community cares."

Jennifer Love Hewitt, the star of the CBS show "Ghost Whisperer" was the host of the event for the third year. "I love coming to the Mission at Christmas," Hewitt said. "I appreciate the great work they do here, but I'm most impressed with the way they do it. Everyone who comes to a meal or for more extensive help is treated with the utmost dignity and respect. That's very important."

Hewitt also brought a gift to the Mission. "Hanes has been very generous this year and is giving more than 4,000 items; including T-shirts, socks and underwear, to the Mission," Hewitt said. "It is one of their biggest needs. The Mission gives away nearly 25,000 underwear items each year to the homeless in the community."

Staff and volunteers of the Los Angeles Mission started early Friday morning on the transformation of Fifth Street. Holiday decorations completed the Christmas season feeling on Skid Row, a place sometimes described as dismal. Children and their families lined up early for both the meals - but also for the gifts of the season.

Smith thanked Hewitt and other celebrities (list attached) for coming to serve. He also noted that hope is one of the key reasons the Mission exists. "We celebrate the birth of our Savior by recognizing that he called on us to help the poor and the hungry. And while we put on a special event for our guests at Christmastime, we also bring that Christmas hope to them every day of the year."

The kitchen staff and volunteers were up early Friday putting the final touches on the meal. There were also last-minute gift donations to wrap up in holiday style.

The meal of roast chicken, three-cheese macaroni, mixed vegetables, dinner rolls, and pie was has become the Christmas tradition at the Mission, the macaroni dish is a guest favorite. More than a ton of chicken was roasted to perfection, more than 800 pounds of mixed vegetables were prepared, and about 750 pounds of macaroni cooked up.

The Mission provides meals and many other services to the community every day. More than 522-thousand meals were served in the last year, more than 1,400 each day. More than 118-thousand nights of safe lodging was provided, averaging more than 320 per night. More than 400 men come to the mission each day for showers, nearly 15-thousand per year. And the Mission provided nearly 200-thousand articles of clothing to those in need, more than 500 clothing items each day.

But those emergency services are only a part of the programs and opportunities the Mission provides to the people of the community. In addition to its long-term rehabilitation program the Mission provides educational opportunities, spiritual guidance and job training. The Los Angeles Mission Community Clinic also provides medical, dental and other health care for adults and children. All programs are provided at no cost to the recipients.

Smith added, "We are really a community based service provider. Without volunteers and donors from all over the Los Angeles area, the Los Angeles Mission wouldn't exist. We recognize and thank those who care about the homeless and poor of Skid Row and show it by working alongside our dedicated staff, or who provide the resources that make this important work possible."

For nearly 60 years, the Los Angeles Mission has served the people of Skid Row providing emergency services such as shelter, food, clothing, as well as professional medical and dental services. In addition, the Los Angeles Mission also offers long-term residential rehabilitation programs including education, job training/placement, transitional housing and counseling.