“The holidays can be a rough time for people,” said Dennis Simms, co-founder of Friends of Skid Row. “People feel isolated, alone and things like that.
“I always tell my volunteers to start, our job today is to share a smile, to be respectful and to hopefully kindle hope because you know every everything starts with hope.”
Celebrating 24 years, Friends of Skid Row has distributed hygiene kits, clothing, blankets, children’s books and toys on Christmas Eve to more than 600 men, women and children experiencing homelessness on Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles.
The organization collects donations from friends, families and local community groups throughout the year in preparation for the annual distribution event. Cofounded with his wife, Amanda, Simms recounted how his organization originated.
“The origin of it was a very close group of friends, eight of us, would do the whole holiday gift-giving -exchange,” said Simms. “Fifty bucks is kind of what we’re talking about and we’ll kind of exchange gifts.”
Simms continued, “We kind of said, this is cool, but we’re exchanging things that none of us really need, need. It’s nice, but what if we did something that had a little bit more weight to it, where a $50.00 gift, a $20.00 gift, could really make a difference for somebody.”
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Originally from Los Angeles, specifically Leimert Park, Simms was aware of an area of the city that he might be able to make a difference.
“I had exposure to the Skid Row area because at the time, working in telecom, I had that whole area around San Pedro, Main, where all the toy companies were and the manufacturer outlets were so, I kind of knew about the area.”
Simms took his wife Amanda, then fiancé, down to Skid Row as she had never been to the area. The visit changed her life and greenlit their next move.
“We got down there, and it made an emotional impact on her,” said Simms. “I said this is where maybe we can make our very small impact, but you know my thing is someone always has to start something for somebody else to follow.”
For over two decades, Friends of Skid Row has been bringing hope during the holidays. Simms shared that something special happens every time that lets him know what he’s doing is making a difference.
“Each year, there’s usually something that is very impactful to one or more of us,” said Simms. “I can remember a time we gave a very nice, heavy, jacket to an older Black woman in her 70s. We gave it to her and she put it on and she just looked at my friend and I and she said, ‘no one’s ever trusted me with anything of value like this’ and she started crying so, each year, there’s been just something that continues to really fuel us to make the sacrifice of our own holiday.
Simms continued, “Our house basically turns into a staging site for the better part of December. Whether it’s giving up our garage because we’re stacking boxes or a patio area because we’re staging and doing those things but, I just think, you know there’s merit to what we’re doing.”
Spectrum definitely thinks so and honored their employee with a $2,500 grant recently for all that he has accomplished with his organization.
“Spectrum has shown that they want to invest into the communities that we do business in,” said Simms. “This year I’ve been blessed with getting a grant from Spectrum, which only enhances my ability to go out there and for the volunteers in my group to give and that’s what it’s all about.”
A technical sales consultant for the unified communications platform at Spectrum and a mentor to many youth, Simms is invested in helping people. He shared that he brings that energy to his organization, which brings that same energy when helping people.
“I think our operation is a lot different from a lot of people who go down there because we just don’t go there and drop off stuff at the mission and drive away,” said Simms. “We set up tables and the people in our group get to interact with the people that are receiving the gift.
Simms continued, “We’ve had kids that have brought down bikes that they’ve outgrown, and we told them they got to choose the kid that they give the bike too as long as they understand, when they give the bike, they need to explain the features of the bike so, there’s an interaction, which makes an indelible impression.”
The Spectrum Employee Community Grant award was presented to Friends of Skid Row at their facility in Chatsworth, CA. The funding will expand the organization’s inventory of winter clothing and other critical items for distribution on December 24. Simms is grateful that he can bring hope, a precious commodity, to someone.
“If we can’t go out there and kindle a little bit of hope for someone to make it through the season, to let them know that they’re seen, that they are important then, that’s the only time we fail when we go down there and that hasn’t happened,” said Simms.
“This is our 24th year, that just hasn’t happened.”
