Although numbers and facts are never as effective as seeing or living through something oneself, here are some statistics about homelessness:
-In Los Angeles 90,000 people sleep on the streets every night.
The homeless populations of New York, Chicago and San Francisco combined equal half of the homeless population in Los Angeles.
-This makes LA the homeless capital of the nation.
-Imagine, 40% of homeless in L.A. are women and 10,000 are youth between the age of 12 and 17.
The homeless population in Los Angeles is large. A group called Democracy For Change is working on behalf of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition. This coalition is a tax-exempt, non-profit charity formed as a union between the Downtown Women’s Center and Los Angeles Youth Network. These groups are two of the most successful and effective nonprofit homeless shelters in Los Angeles.
The good news is that 75% of LAYN’s youth exit the program to live successfully with families and DWC is the nationally recognized model for serving homeless women. These shelters are at capacity, and could use your support. Please look into their work, and think about how you can assist with donations either financial or with goods and services.
Another amazing service provided in Los Angeles is the Union Rescue Mission. This group, which I have worked with, provides a variety of services to those living on skid-row. Learn more, and donate your time!