Oct-Nov, 2023

We had a small influx of cash at the end of 2023. Here’s what we were able to do with it:

In November we went out and purchased items to meet the needs of unhoused individuals throughout Santa Monica and LA. We had a rainy winter, so waterproof items were in high demand. We replaced leaking boots, tents and worn out clothing, often taking the individual with us to give them the autonomy to choose items that met their unique preferences and needs.

An issue we encountered early on was in trying to provide temporary housing for a gentleman named Tyrel. He had asked for a tent, so we brought him to REI to pick the tent that would best meet his needs. It dawned on me that he would probably appreciate a night in a place where he’d have access to a warm bed and shower. We requested a private room at a hostel in Santa Monica to give him a night to rest and reset. Unfortunately, their policy doesn’t allow you to book a room without ID indicating that you live outside of LA County. A policy almost certainly designed to deny access to the unhoused. SO it was back to the drawing board on that. We weren’t able to get Tyrel into a motel that evening, but we took a walk together and enjoyed a slice from Joe’s pizza before setting him with his new tent for the night.