In case you missed it: L.A. Times’ Steve Lopez: Give and Volunteer Throughout the Year, Not Just the Holidays
The Los Angeles Times’ Steve Lopez recently wrote an extremely timely column on how homeless shelters and other facilities are always in need of help, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas. There’s no time of the year when agencies who work to end homelessness aren’t in need of volunteers and donations — and for those who are striving to make a difference, your help is always appreciated.
Every year around now, I get requests from people who want a recommendation on where to volunteer at a soup kitchen, emergency shelter or housing facility on Thanksgiving or Christmas.
I appreciate these good intentions, and so will the people who benefit. But there are 363 days in the year besides Thanksgiving and Christmas, which happen to be the only two days when there’s plenty of extra help. If you’re interested, I’ve got a suggestion on how you can make a more meaningful contribution to thousands of desperately needy people in what is often referred to as the homeless capital of the United States.
Get on your computer and go to http://www.HomeForGoodLA.com. There you’ll find details of a plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness by 2016, with information on how you can donate to the cause or volunteer at a number of human service agencies any time of year.
I know. If you’re like me, you’re more than a tad skeptical of plans to “end homelessness,” because we’ve heard it all before. And it will be increasingly difficult to solve the problem as more military servicemen and women bring the war home and struggle with stress disorders.
So why is there cause for optimism this time?
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