SYLMAR and PACOIMA COLD WEATHER SHELTERS OPEN FOR 2015-2016 Season

UPDATE for 2016-2017 COLD WEATHER SHELTERS - PLEASE CALL 211 to FIND A SHELTER OR VERIFY THAT THE LIST BELOW IS STILL OPERATIONAL.  We've been looking for current information on the Internet and are running into a lot of very old useless news.  THERE SHOULD BE OPENINGS BEGINNING END OF OCTOBER 2016.


HOPE OF THE VALLEY ORG will run Sylmar and Pacoima

Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission · Phone

8165 San Fernando Rd, Sun Valley, CA 91352

 

(818) 392-0020  PHONE NUMBER ADDED NOV 2 2015

It is official- Hope of the Valley will be operating the Sylmar Winter Shelter and the Pacoima Winter Shelter serving the Valley, Burbank and Glendale. We will be opening 220 beds beginning November 1st. As details become available we will let you know. We are in partnership with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, The City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles. Volunteers will be needed!

DAILY NEWS = SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SHELTERS-open-early

The shelters, which have a total of 220 beds, are at the

Greater Community Missionary Baptist Church   OPEN TILL END OF MARCH 2016
11066 Norris Ave. 
Pacoima  CA 91331

(818) 899-9155  CHURCH PHONE NUMBER  added Nov 2, 2015

National Guard Armory  OPEN TILL END OF MARCH 2016
12860 Arroyo St.
Sylmar
CA. 91342

661-259-1298  THE NUMBER WE HAVE ON FILE.  Please leave us a comment if you find this number from last year is not working.  CALL HOPE OF THE VALLEY for more information.

CALL AHEAD TO SEE IF YOU CAN DRIVE IN WITH YOUR OWN VEHICLE OR WALK IN.
SYLMAR USUALLY HAS A PICK UP IN VAN NUYS near the CIVIC CENTER AREA

OFFICIAL FROM LAHSA  AS BELOW

** Times may vary due to traffic or weather. Schedule maybe adjusted to meet current needs. Please arrive 5 minutes early. ** 3

Shelters Opening on November 1stand 2nd, 2015

Hope of the Valley – Pacoima (100 bed program)	Greater Community Missionary Baptist Church 11067 Norris Ave, Pacoima, CA 91331	(818) 207-8776
Shelter Operates: November 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016
Transportation Pick-up Point	Pick-up Address:	Time:
Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission Parking Lot	8165 San Fernando Road, Sun Valley	5:00pm and 6:25pm
Sunland Senior Center Parking Lot	8640 Fenwick St., Sunland, CA 91040	5:15pm
Near Smart & Final	Corner of Van Nuys Blvd. and W. Arminta St.	5:50 PM
Walk-up guests are welcome. No one is allowed on the property before 5:30pm. No shopping carts will be allowed in the shelter. Each guest may bring one small bag.

 

Service Planning Area: 2 (San Fernando Valley) Hope of the Valley – Sylmar Armory (120 bed program)	Sylmar Armory 12860 Arroyo Drive, Sylmar, CA 91342	(818) 207-8776
Shelter Operates: November 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016
Transportation Pick-up Point:	Pick-up Address:	Time:
Van Nuys – Bus stop in front of the courthouse	Corner of Van Nuys Blvd. and Erwin	5:00pm, 5:05pm, 6:00pm & 6:40pm
North Hollywood: Near McDonalds	Corner of Lankershim Blvd. and Strathern St.	5:20pm & 5:45pm
Hansen Dam Recreation Center	11770 Foothill Blvd., Los Angeles. Pick up near Foothill Blvd and Osborne near the LVT sign.	5:30pm & 6:10pm
Walk-up guests are welcome. No one is allowed on the property before 5:30pm. No shopping carts will be allowed in the shelter. Each guest may bring one small bag.

BUTTERFLIES OVER THE HARVEST

picture from Desktop Nexus

STOP DEFINING "CHRONIC" HOMELESSNESS as A MERE SIX MONTHS

Let's say you just got evicted after years of being a working, paying taxes, U.S. Citizen.  You may not have any of the stereotypical homeless issues such as mental illness or drug addiction or a criminal past.  Now, be it that you sofa hop, live in your vehicle, go to a Cold Weather Shelter, or another shelter program THAT ADVERTISES ITSELF TO BE A SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS, that CLAIMS that it get's people housing.

DID YOU KNOW THAT IF IT TAKES YOU MORE THAN SIX MONTHS TO BE IN A PLACE TO LIVE AGAIN, we mean at least a room for rent, a Section 8 apartment, on a lease or rental agreement somewhere YOU ARE CONSIDERED TO BE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS?

THIS WORKS AGAINST YOU if you ever have another bout of bad luck in this economy.

THEN YOU ARE CONSIDERED A REPEATER.

THE LONGER YOU ARE HOMELESS THE MORE STEREOTYPICAL DEFINITIONS STICK TO YOU.

LANDLORDS don't want to read your last address as a HOMELESS SHELTER.  LANDLORDS DON'T WANT TO RENT TO PEOPLE WHO THEY ASSUME ARE A STEREOTYPE!

CASA ESPERANZA MERGER - NOW PATH SANTA BARBARA

CASA ESPERANZA now PATH SANTA BARBARA

What value does PATH bring for the local Santa Barbara community? PATH offers...

• A customized approach for reducing homelessness in Santa Barbara
• Best practices that have been proven in other communities
• A focus on measurable, achievable outcomes
• A priority on improving local neighborhoods
• A deeper level of client-centered programs and operational expertise

All donations will support people experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara
Onsite programs at the interim housing facility embody a "one-stop shop" model of integrated housing and resources, designed to reduce barriers for people experiencing homelessness so they can access the support they need - all under one roof.
Programs focus on the following:

• Permanent Housing Support
• Employment & Job Training
• Respite Care, Healthcare Coordination & Wellness Programs
• Recovery & Community Re-integration
• Rental Assistance & Rapid Re-Housing
• Neighborhood Connections & Healthy Communities
• Community Kitchen & Food Re-Distribution
• Support for Veterans

The interim housing program includes 100 shelter beds open 24/7, and an expansion to 200 shelter beds during the winter months of December through March.

****
We think that the RESPITE CARE IS MOST IMPORTANT.  People who are too ill or weak to be homeless cannot focus on moving forward.  They are the most stuck in survival.

MARK LIPMAN at FREEVENICEBEACHHEAD NEWSPAPER ON THE POLITICAL WILL OF CREATING HOMELESSNESS

FREE VENICE BEACH HEAD - FOLLOW THE MONEY - POLITICAL WILL OF CREATING HOMELESSNESS  full article by Mark Lipman

EXCERPT:

You see, the actions the city are taking are quite understandable, if you look at it in a detached objective manner. What is happening is there is a major conflict of interest going on involving incredibly large sums of money. Homelessness is a very profitable industry.

By Pacific Division’s own numbers, 80% of all their policing revolves around interactions with homeless people – mostly ticketing and harassing people for actions of basic survival, like sitting, sleeping … existing. That’s a lot of money, to pay a lot of police salaries … money we wouldn’t have to spend – police we wouldn’t need on the streets – if we simply provided the basic services that our communities have been demanding for well over a decade.

Then of course, we cannot ignore that incarceration costs the city over $62,000 per year for every person we jail. That is an awful lot of money that pays for prison guards … no wonder their union is the strongest in the state. And how many private contracts to companies get paid for with that money? Jails are big money and make a handful of people very rich … and just perhaps those riches get turned into influence to keep the system working just the way it is … perhaps?

HOLLYWOOD HOMELESS YOUTH PARTNERSHIP

HOLLYWOOD HOMELESS YOUTH PARTNERSHIP

Hollywood Homeless
Youth Partnership 4650 Sunset Blvd., MS#2
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Phone: (323) 361-3273

The Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership (HHYP) agencies have been actively collaborating since 1982, and HHYP was formally established in 1999. Its member agencies are among the pre-eminent experts on the issues of youth homelessness in Los Angeles, the current homeless capital of America. As service providers, HHYP works to achieve best practices in service delivery with the goal of strengthening interventions to help homeless youth exit the streets, overcoming the traumatic experiences at the core of their homelessness. Since 2000, the HHYP has been a Level III Community Trauma Treatment Center under the auspices of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA).
In addition, HHYP conducts research with some of the most notable agencies in the United States including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Authority (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). HHYP members help develop policy by testifying in Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA and locally to educate federal and state legislators about the issue of youth homelessness and advocate for legislation that helps provide services to homeless youth. HHYP members also present the results of its research and policy work at local and national conferences to support the capacity of other organizations and help educate and train service providers across the country.

HHYP members are available for training, consultation, information sharing and select research collaboration. HHYP also seeks collaboration with reputable agencies committed to supporting homeless youth and young adults in their transition towards stability.

SANTA BARBARA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS - ON HOUSING FIRST

Published on Mar 19, 2015

League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara
Video by Larry Nimmer

SANTA BARBARA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS on HOMELESS HOUSING

2015 The HOMELESS COUNT... including shelters, streets, and vehicles.  Using HUD's definition of individuals and families residing in places not fit for living, shelters, and transitional housing.

Their definition of CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS is expanded to a year and a half, or four bouts in three years.

An hour and a half of video, but a candid look at how they figure out who is prioritized for housing.

ONE SHOWER AT A TIME - BUSES BRING BATHROOMS TO THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO - RADICAL HOSPITALITY

 Lava Mae is a nonprofit with an interesting idea. They convert old donated city buses into mobile shower units for homeless people, bringing them health, hygiene and humanity.


LAVA MAE ORG

GREAT IDEA!   LOS ANGELES?!

MEETING EACH NEED WITH DIGNITY = MEND CHARITY NAVIGATOR GIVES IT FOUR STARS

MENDPOVERTY.ORG

MEND offers a shower program to its homeless clients and those who otherwise do not have access to a washroom. In 2014, the program provided access to 1481 showers, and volunteers dedicated 717 hours to make this possible. Information about the shower program is distributed to various homeless service agencies. Once a client registers with MEND, he or she can use the shower facilities every Tuesday.
In addition, all day Tuesday, MEND’s homeless clients have access to toiletries, hot meals, a box of nutritious food meant to last 3 to 4 days, clean clothing, and MEND’s wide array of referral services.

AIDS HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION - CONDOM FACTS

AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION  TESTING, MEDS, RESOURCES


"FOR ANY SEXUAL ENCOUNTER, CONDOMS WORK.  IN FACT THEY'RE 98% EFFECTIVE.  HOWEVER CONDOMS AFFORD NO PROTECTION IF THEY'RE NOT USED.

BY 2013  THE MAJORITY OF ADOLESCENTS WERE USING CONDOMS.  LIKEWISE THE MAJORITY (64%) of GAY MEN.  FEMALE SEX WORKERS IN NEVADA BROTHERLS ARE REQUIRED TO USE CONDOMS, RESULTING IN ZERO CASES OF HIV TRANSMISSION.

CLOTHING GIVEAWAY - NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN - FAIRFAX AREA - COMING UP SUNDAY DEC 6 2015

We apologize for our mistake.  The giveaway is DEC 6 2015  not Dec 2 as we originally stated on our post title.

**************************************************

543 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036 · (323) 651-2930
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN

The annual clothing giveaway is in a couple weeks.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

You  ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING YOUR OWN BAGS, SUITCASES, ROLLING CARTS, etc inside the giveaway area, not even if you're crippled with back pain or arthritis and can't stand long or carry much..    This makes it damn difficult if not impossible for homeless people to get clothes.  But if you're living at a shelter and can show up just you, come on down.

When you get inside they will ask you how many people are in your family.  They will give you a bag for each person.  You can fill that bag (s).  But you personally probably CANNOT CARRY more than one full bag of clothing out.  One full bag is really heavy.

THE LINE MOVES REALLY FAST, so grab what you think will work.

THERE IS NO TRYING CLOTHES ON.

PARKING IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, so not always easy or close.  You can drop people off and find them later, but people in line hate it when they see a bunch of people get in front of them claiming that others were saving their place in line.

THERE IS A  MTA BUS THAT DROPS YOU OFF WHERE THE LINE STARTS.

CLOTHING GIVE AWAY CONTINUES TILL ABOUT NOON.  Clothing is brought out by volunteers continuously.  So getting there real early may not make any difference.

THERE ARE SECURITY GUARDS WALKING THE LINE but people sneak past them and cut in line all the time anyway.

USUALLY SOME FOOD VENDERS SHOW UP SELLING HOT DOGS.  You could be in line a couple hours.  BRING YOUR OWN SNACKS and WATER but... but... are there porta potties somewhere cause we haven't seen them.

WE WOULD PREFER A SYSTEM WHERE YOU GET A NUMBER and go SIT or COME BACK CLOSER TO THE TIME OF YOUR ADMITTANCE.  But that long line of desperation makes for good television news/ PR.

WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THEY ACCOMODATE THE DISABLED.  BUT THEY HAVE TO.  So call ahead to see if you and your wheelchair or your ACCESS drop off will get you priority admittance or any help.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN  offers other events, activities, and social service type opportunities, including therapy.

 

COLOR US BUTTERFLIES!

POMONA ARMORY SET TO OPEN OCTOBER 15th FOR EL NINO 2015-2016 COLD WEATHER SEASON - SIX WEEKS EARLY!

SAN GABRIEL TRIBUNE - POMONA SHELTER OPEN EARLY OCT 15 2015 COLD WEATHER  ( EXPECT CHRISTIAN SERVICES)   Inland Valley Daily Bulletin


EXCERPTS:

In the meantime, Clark, who was awarded an authority grant to operate the winter shelter in Pomona, is preparing to have the armory ready to welcome 125 homeless beginning the evening of Oct. 15. That’s 25 more than in past years, he said.

Although the Pomona Armory will be available this winter, it is not expected to be available for the 2016-2017 winter, said Benita DeFrank, Pomona’s neighborhood housing service manager.

The additional time will make it possible to develop a plan to replicate the model the East San Gabriel Valley Coalition for the Homeless uses to run its winter shelter, DeFrank said.

The model involves several churches taking turns serving as winter shelter sites two weeks at a time.
Several churches, including Shield of Faith Christian Center, expressed a desire to open their doors but said they could not be ready for the Dec. 1 start of the program.

 Trying to get ready this winter would mean scrambling to move church programs and other services to free up facilities to accommodate the homeless, said Bishop Henry Alexander, senior pastor at Shield of Faith.

The church will be ready to serve as a shelter next winter, he said.

“We’re are committed to next year,” Alexander said.

Opening the doors to the homeless is “something churches should accept as a responsibility,” he said. “It’s an appropriate commitment for churches, a moral obligation.”

TEMPLES - SHELTER SONG THIS ONE GOES OUT TO ALL OF YOU ON THE STREETS IN HOLLYWOOD

MY FRIENDS PLACE - HOLLYWOOD : DID YOU JUST GET OFF THE BUS at HOLLYWOOD and VINE after RUNNING AWAY FROM AN ABUSIVE HOME?

MY FRIENDS PLACE - CHECK OUT THEIR SITE FOR MORE PHONE NUMBERS

*****

ONE DAY we went down to HOLLYWOOD and VINE looking for a friend of ours and we saw this woman talking to a teenage who just got off the bus with her big heavy duffle bag.  The woman was offering to get her work, asking her what she could do for a living.

Sad to say, we felt pretty sure that this girl was going to end up a prostitute.  We figured this woman to be a fake.

WHY?

Sure there are good people who just want to help people with a little this or that.  But if a person is REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY or a NONPROFIT, they will at least have a business card, where you can call a number to get ahold of them and do a little research like you are right now, on the internet, to see if such a place exists.  It's not likely they are going to just get you into their car and take you there.  They'll tell you to go the site of their shelter, office, or nonprofit.


So JUST OFF THE BUS, and dead broke, you want to go to the closest CALIFORNIA SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICE.

You can get CAL FRESH (food stamps) and GR (General Relief) and possibly a referral to a shelter, where other referrals are likely. 

WE DON'T WANT YOU TO SPEND ONE NIGHT ON THE STREET.

THOUSANDS COME TO HOLLYWOOD EVERY YEAR, figuring that if they're going to be homeless they may as well do so where it doesn't snow and hardly ever rains, where the sun shine is.

THOUSANDS think MAYBE I'LL BE LUCKY, if not become a movie star then something else wonderful will happen to me.

THOUSANDS find themselves surrounded by other's like themselves who HAVE NO WHERE TO GO, NO ONE TO TRUST, and have to rely on their wits or BE EXPLOITED.

So this is hard, but the fact is that your hunger and desperation attract criminals like you are the moth and they are the flame.  THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE CRIME YOU READ ABOUT A LOT, a tourist getting mugged by a homeless person.  THIS IS ABOUT MARRIED MEN WHO ARE CHEATING ON THIER WIVES, that live in UPSCALE SUBURBS LIKE WOODLAND HILLS, or GAY MEN COMING DOWN THE ROAD FROM THEIR HOUSE UP ON MULHOLLAND, looking to have sex with prostitutes, kids, teens,  YOUNG ENOUGH TO BE THEIR OWN CHILDREN,  NOT EVEN LEGAL ADULTS, THE AMOUNT THEY PAY YOU THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO YOU, A LITTLE BIT OF NOTHING TO THEM. 

THIS IS ABOUT DRUG PUSHERS LOOKING TO SELL YOU SOMETHING that will help you forget your terrible life - except you get to be the addict in an endless cycle of SELF DESTRUCTION.

GET LINKED UP WITH SOCIAL SERVICES and check out MY FRIENDS PLACE for starters.

WE DON'T WANT THE ABUSE YOU SUFFERED THAT MADE YOU RUN AWAY BECOME YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!

DID LOOSING A FRONT TOOTH LEAD YOU TO UNEMPLOYMENT AND HOMELESSNESS? QUESTIONS FOR HOMELESS

We know that in today's American society having a big smile full of teeth is often necessary for employment and we've met a few homeless who say that loosing a tooth meant loosing a job!  They didn't have dental health care or they could not afford to buy a partial plate...


CHECK YOUR OBAMACARE.... YOU MAY FIND THAT YOU CAN GET A LOCAL DENTAL CLINIC TO MAKE YOU PARTIAL PLATES, CAP OR CROWN FRONT TEETH!

BROOK BENTON - RAINY NIGHT IN GEORGIA