Los Angeles County has an array of organizations that offer services to the homeless, and ways people can help the thousands of people on the streets on any given night.
You can help them reach the people they serve with donations of clothing, food and money or by volunteering your time.
Here are some options:
• Downtown Women’s Center: The Center was founded in 1978 by Jill Halverson after developing a friendship with a homeless woman named Rosa. This center, focusing solely on women in Skid Row, uses a five-point approach to help: housing, medical and mental health services, social networking and financial security.
– 442 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, 90013. 213-680-0600. www.downtownwomenscenter.org
• Dare to Care For the Homeless: The Long Beach-based organization helps the homeless with clothing, food and hygiene products. The grass roots coalition, founded in 2008, is currently focusing on families, seniors and veterans who are homeless.
– 4508 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, 90807. 562-2971. www.d2c4h.org
• East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless: Provides help with emergency and transitional shelter, food and other basic needs, referrals for health care, housing and jobs. The organization was founded in 1990.
– Office at St. Martin de Porres Center at St. John Vianney Parish, 1345 Turnbull Canyon Road, Hacienda Heights. 626-333-7204. esgvch.org
• Emmanuel Baptist Rescue Mission: The rescue mission, founded in 1953, gives clothing, food, shelter and the gospel message.
– 530 E. Fifth St., Los Angeles, 90013. 213-626-4681. www.ebrm.org
• Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles: The organization, founded in 1985, focuses on finding housing for the homeless and helping them stay housed. A second goal is to set up a realistic health and mental health plan for their clients to follow.
– Office, 2330 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 90057. 213-744-0724.
– Center for Harm Reduction, 512 E. Fourth St., Los Angeles, 90013.
– www.hhcla.org
• Lamp Community: The outreach to homeless adults with mental illness was started in 1985 by homeless advocate Mollie Lowery and philanthropist Frank Rice. Originally called Los Angeles Men’s Place, the drop-in center started helping women in 1987 and adjusted it’s name to Lamp Community.
– Frank Rice Access Center, 627 San Julian St., Los Angeles, 90014. 213-488-9559.
– Email for services help: [email protected].
– Mailing address: 526 San Pedro St., Los Angeles, 90013. www.lampcommunity.org
• Long Beach Rescue Mission: The faith-based organization, founded in 1972, operates two facilities, the Samaritan House for men and Lydia House for women and their children. The rescue mission offers a public lunch, noon Monday-Thursday, public dinner, 6 p.m. daily and a nightly chapel service.
– 1335 Pacific Ave., 90813. 562-591-1292.
– Mailing address: P.O. Box 1969, Long Beach, 90801.
– Email: [email protected]. lbrm.org
• Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority: The organization coordinates city, county, federal and state funds to provide services to the homeless in Los Angeles County. The agency was created in 1993 by the Los Angeles City Council and mayor and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
– Office, 811 Wilshire Blvd., 6th Floor, Los Angeles, 90017. 213-683-3333.
– Shelter hotline for individuals: 800-548-6047.
– Homeless services: 213-225-6581 (7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday).
– Help for ages 12 to 25 on cell phone: download the free app WIN (What I Need).
– Los Angeles County referral line for families: call 211 or 211la.org
www.lahsa.org
• Lutheran Social Services of Southern California: The agency was founded in 1944 in San Diego.
– Canoga Park: 21430 Strathern St., Canoga Park, 91304. 818-901-9480.
– Thousand Oaks: 80 E. Hillcrest Drive, 91360. 805-497-6207.
– Pasadena: 60 North Daisy Ave., 91107. 626-564-0191.
– Long Beach: 1611 Pine Ave., 90813. 562-599-1321.
www.lsssc.org
• MEND: Formally Meet Each Need with Dignity, MEND, opened its doors in the 1970s from a small garage, and since has grown into what it says is the largest poverty agency in the San Fernando Valley.
– 10641 N. San Fernando Road, Pacoima, 91331. 818-897-2443. mendpoverty.org
• The Midnight Mission: The Midnight was founded in 1914 by businessman and lay minister Tom Liddecoat. According to their website, a meal would be served after church services around midnight (church services and religious affiliation ended in 1933). The Midnight’s goal is to be a bridge to self-sufficiency by offering programs that include a 12-Step approach to recovery, emergency services for men, women and children, education and job training.
-601 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, 90014. 213-624-9258. www.midnightmission.org
• PATH: People Assisting the Homeless was founded in 1983 to help both the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless. Their statement on the problem: “Homelessness is a housing problem. People can’t get off the streets if they don’t have somewhere to go.”
-340 N. Madison Ave., Los Angeles, 90004. 323-644-2200. Email: [email protected]. www.epath.org
• St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles: The international organization of Catholic volunteers was founded by Frederic Ozanam, a 20-year-old student, in 1833 in Paris, France. Bishop Thomas Conaty, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, welcomed the society in 1904. The society runs the Cardinal Manning Center, a shelter for homeless adult men in Skid Row, and the St. Vincent’s Family Housing program. There is an outreach in Ventura County and two thrift shops, in Long Beach and Los Angeles.
– Main office is at the Los Angeles Thrift Shop, 210 N. Ave. 21, 90031. 323-224-6280.
– Cardinal Manning Center: 213-229-9971. Email: [email protected].
– St. Vincent Family Housing: 213-229-9966. Email: [email protected].
– Long Beach Thrift Store, 2750 E. Pacific Coast Highway, 90804. 562-494-9955.
– Ventura County Center: 805-754-2089. Email: [email protected].
– Assistance hotline: 888-552-7872.
– Donations: 800-974-3571. svdpla.org
• San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission: Founded in 1998 from a program that served meals to the Valley’s homeless.
– 8756 Canby Ave., Northridge, 91325. 818-785-4476. sfvrescuemission.org
• Union Rescue Mission: The Mission was founded in 1891 by Lyman Stewart, founder of Union Oil Co. It offers emergency services, the Hope Gardens Family Center (for women with children, and also senior women; located in Sylmar), clinics, a learning center, the Gateway Project (a 30-day program, with a fee, for single adults) and the Life-Transformation Ministry.
– 545 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, 90013. 213-347-6300. Email: [email protected]. urm.org
• West Valley Food Pantry: The pantry began in 1975 in a closet in the kitchen of Prince of Peace Episcopal Church in Woodland Hills. The pantry, now in its own building but still on the church campus, expanded its services to the hungry in 1985 when it became a coalition of churches and synagogues in the West Valley.
– 5700 Rudnick Ave., Woodland Hills, 91367. 818-346-5554. www.westvalleyfoodpantry.org