The Weekend to End Homelessness, happening October 19, 2018 to October 21, 2018, is an unprecedented campaign designed to engage, educate and inspire L.A. County residents to get directly connected to their local homeless service providers. People often say they want to help do something about homelessness but don’t know how or what to do. The Weekend to End Homelessness is the solution to that problem. “Housing is what ends homelessness. There are so many ways that L.A. County residents can support affordable housing and help people move from the streets into a home. Ultimately, that’s what the Weekend to End Homelessness is about,” says Adam Murray, Executive Director of Inner City Law Center.
In partnership with LAHSA (Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority), Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative, United Way’s Everyone In, Mayor Garcetti’s Office of Public Engagement, several county/city elected officials, and many amazing service providers, Homeful.LA currently features over 60 events that L.A. County residents can sign-up for in their own back yards between October 19-21. L.A. County residents can sign-up to walk the streets of Skid Row, or tour interim and permanent supportive housing in their area. They can drop off new and gently used items to service providers, or volunteer to prepare meals and help with beautification projects during The Weekend to End Homelessness. In addition, there will be headline events in each region featuring information fairs, hosted by elected officials.
Super volunteer Ronson Chu, former Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration in the entertainment industry, started attending community events and volunteering while in between jobs earlier this year. In one of those community meetings, he learned about Homeful.LA, an online resource created by Inner City Law Center that connects people in L.A. County with opportunities to volunteer, advocate and donate towards ending homelessness. Ronson reached out and proposed to Homeful.LA the idea of Weekend to End Homelessness to connect people to the amazing work being done by organizations all throughout Los Angeles.
“I was volunteering all over Los Angeles and was literally inspired by the people I was meeting on a daily basis. I would hate for people to miss out on how great it feels to be a part of the solution,” says Chu. “You don’t have to go to the movies to find superheroes. There are several heroes among us including a man distributing hygiene kits at a drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, a veteran helping fellow unhoused servicemen prepare for interviews to get employment in West L.A., and high school students volunteering at a food pantry because they were once recipients of such generosity in the Valley. I wish more people could see that they have the power to make a difference.”
Groups and individuals can go to www.homeful.la to find more opportunities in their area with established partner organizations such as: PATH, New Directions for Veterans, The Salvation Army, The Midnight Mission, vity of Long Beach, Inner City Law Center, Harbor Interfaith Services, and more. Headline events: 2 – San Gabriel Valley Area: Supervisor Hilda L. Solis will be hosting a Kick-off Information Fair on Friday from 5-8pm. @Bassett Park in La Puente – San Fernando Valley Area: Councilmember Bob Blumenfield will be hosting a Town Hall on Homelessness in Reseda on Saturday from 10am-noon. @18118 Sherman Way, Reseda.
State Senator Bob Hertzberg is hosting a donation drive and tour of Hope of the Valley on Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Tour at 2pm. @6425 Tyrone Ave, Van Nuys. – Westside Area: Councilmember Mike Bonin and Venice Community Housing is hosting a supportive housing tour and donation drive at Gateway Apartments on Friday 830am-10am. @3368 Beach Ave. in Marina Del Rey.
– Antelope Valley Area: Assembly Member Tom Lackey’s staff will speak at the Salvation Army tour of their emergency interim housing on Saturday 11:00am-12:30pm. @44517 Sierra Highway, Lancaster.
– Downtown Area: Councilmember Gil Cedillo will be hosting the Arroyo Roundup (Car show) and Information Fair at Ave 55-50 on N. Figueroa in Highland Park on Saturday 12pm-6pm. Speech at noon.
– South L.A. Area: Hopics is hosting a Trunk or Treat event on Saturday for homeless and low income children. 9am-2pm @5849 Crocker St, Los Angeles. Candy donations welcome.
– South Bay/Inglewood Area: US Vets is hosting a tour and donation drive at their Inglewood location on Friday. 9am-4pm @733 Hindry Ave, Inglewood.
– Bell/Whittier Area: The Salvation Army is hosting a tour at the Bell Shelter, Whole Child and Jovenes is sponsoring a hygiene kit donation drive also at The Bell Shelter Friday 10am-2pm. @5600 Rickenbacker Rd, Bell.
To learn more, or find out how you can be a part of Weekend to End Homelessness, go to www.homeful.la , or contact Erin Thompson with the Inner City Law Center at ethompson@innercitylaw.org or 213.891.3209.
