Los Angeles Mission: Ameliorating the Homeless on Skid Row

For over 70 years, the Los Angeles Mission has worked serving the homeless population living on the streets of Skid Row. They pride themselves on providing “compassionate, humanitarian services to those in desperate need.”

Skid Row is in Downtown Los Angeles, specifically Central City East with one of the largest stable homeless populations in the country. Between seven and eight thousand people live on Skid Row. The Los Angeles Mission works to help Skid Row resident women, men and children in need.

What makes the Los Angeles Mission so different is that they build their core values on hope, love, compassion, and healthy relationships. They focus on helping the homeless battle alcoholism, drug addiction, physical and emotional abuse and a lack of education, healthcare, and employment.

Celebrities are known to frequent the Los Angeles Mission events offering food and shelter to many homeless people on Skid Row. 3,000 Christmas dinners were passed out by celebrities on Christmas Eve, hosted by Jennifer Love Hewitt who said:

“Anyone would be moved by the kids on Skid Row meeting Santa and receiving gifts on Christmas Eve.”

Young Disney stars serve Thanksgiving at Los Angeles Mission

Are you interested in volunteering with the Los Angeles Mission?

Orientations are scheduled regularly and they welcome both individual and group volunteers. You can call (213) 639-1227 for more information of visit the Los Angeles Mission website.  You can also make an online donation if you do not have time to go down and help out firsthand.

Want to know more? Follow them on twitter at @ilovelamission.