Downtown Clergy Council to hold Press Conference ending feedings in skid row

The Downtown Clergy Council was kind enough to send an e-mail to this blog, maybe it was because all of the issues sited in their white paper are issue that this blog highlighted almost ten years ago in relation to feeding the people of skid row... I re-read the post about Herbal Life and sure enough the issue is raised at the end of the post. I cried like a baby when herbal life partnered with URM .   You can go to this blog to read the white paper by the Downtown Clergy Council  HELP SKIDROW.org. I will post more about this as it happens and I may change the name of this blog since I do not live in the heart of skid row anymore. Some of you will get a kick out of the name but the focus will still be skid row.

Skid Row Gearing up for Holidays after hard summer

Skid Row Missions and other non-profits will once again steer into high fundraising and giveaway mode . This blog will begin to make the rounds all fall and winter as the stories present themselves from the big not for profits to the small givers we will see what is happening in the skid row community.

Herbalife Partners with Union Rescue Mission to become a dragonslayer

Don Garza - Downtown Los Angeles

CEO  Michael O Johnson of Herbalife and Andy Bales CEO of Union Rescue Mission

Skid Row can be compared to a huge dragon that has many faces. These faces can manifest themselves in many ways. One of these ways is no easy access to healthy foods. Each Corner market is filled with nothing but processed sugary foods, well intentioned people bring doughnuts , cookies , and all types of sugary items to feed the people on the streets. In a community that is filled with sick and ail residents, this can add to the quick demise of those residents through the proliferation of malnourishment , which can translate into Diabetes and exacerbation of symptoms of other physical illnesses.

Today, the Union Rescue Mission announced a partnership with Herbalife to bring healthy Formula 1 shakes every breakfast, for a year. The question from one of the reporters was how much in cost to Herbalife is the product? The only answer that this writer can state with certainty to answer that question  is that, although the answer translates into 10,000s of dollars , you can not put a price on people's health. The Missions in skid row do their best to provide healthy meals , yet they can only provide meals that are donated from their donors , for the most part. Today was the death of having to do without augmenting the nutritional value of the meals that are already served. This actually translates into saving lives. It also will add to the arrest of people falling into more poverty as a result of illnesses that can be prevented or the worsening of conditions that skid row community residents already have. Translated this  gives these folks a chance to recover from whatever their disease may be , even those such as substance abuse. Good nutrition is a part of any form of recovery.

From a personal perspective of having had type 2 diabetes and not having ease of access to healthy food in skid row it can certainly be said that this partnership will save lives. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand this. Nor to realize that this is not conjecture, but for a population that relies on the Union Rescue Mission for sustenance , this is fact. Illness can cause a spiraling effect and a redundancy in the ability for people to pull themselves out of the skid row situation. If people are eating right, they are thinking right. I said it to many people at the press conference today that I am jealous that the people in skid row have access to a high protein shake filled with nutritional value, something that was not available before. I also said that no one has come to my house and offered me free protein shakes filled with calcium,, protein , Vitamin A , and Vitamin C. Today this was offered by Herbalife as a commitment to those who eat breakfast at URM ;the choice of a shake is now available.

Some may say that all of the above statements are an exaggeration , but I can't see where there is an exaggeration. Today , Herbalife became a dragonslayer. That hideous dragon we call malnourishment and lack of access to healthy foods  in skid row had a stake thrust through it's heart. Once again, the dragon we call skid row is slowly counting it 's days away when it could just destroy people physically. And I hope that many partnerships such as the one we see with URM and Herbalife continue to happen. I also hope that those who choose to go to skid row to help , realize, that if you are going to feed people , you must do it right. If anything comes from witnessing this  partnership  , I hope that is what many come away with.

Easter in Gladys Park

Who doesn't like to spend time in the park with their family and friends? There was no exception at Gladys Park in skid row . For the very first time the residents of skid row held their very own Easter Celebration at Gladys Park.

This event was sponsored by a city and community-wide collaboration including ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS, OG's-N-Service Association, Skid Row Artist's Collective, Metropolitan Community Church of the Valley and Operation Bunny Luv( providing eggs, easter baskets and more), "Life Is...Crushow", Fun Zone Reading Club, UCEPP, Skid Row Advocates, Garments of Praise, Roses and Bloom, Jonah Project, and many more.

The day began with prayers and blessings from three pastors in skid row.  Rev. Jeff Thomas of Community Church of the Nazarene,  Pastor Ron Thomas of Set Free Ministries and Outreach , and  Rev. Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission all gave their blessings to the event as well as for the whole skid row community.

The difference between this event and others in the area was that this event was put on by the residents and resident grassroots organizations that are headed by actual residents living in skid row. General Jeff was out there , well , when you could find him , because he was all over the area bringing the things to the park that were already supposed to have been there such as the Easter Baskets.  I was heading to the blessing of the Animals and then was going to head over to the Pillow Fight at Pershing square to cover those stories , but the event was so full of a  great spirit and so full of people I had not spent time with since I moved to the other side of Main Street in downtown, I had to stay and, I was glad I did because people whom I had not seen in such a long time made their presence known.

Jan Perry and Jose Huizar both graced us with their presence and as usual OG gave Jose Huizar and Jan Perry a piece of his mind. You can't stop OG Manuel Compito from expressing himself. He is consistent in his passion for the  skid row community. The new Skid Row Boxing club was being shown off and the entertainment of the residents living in skid row was also to be had and on the new Nike basketball court games were being held. The people just came and came and came to enjoy Easter at Gladys Park!

Ryan Vaillancourt who reports for the Downtown News was also there playing  hoops with the people in skid row. So , as you can see this day was miraculous and  so wonderful that I could not leave. The Easter egg hunt began and the children had to pick up as many of the plastic eggs they could find in the grass before being given prizes for their efforts. Again , it was nice to see the children enjoying themselves in the heart of skid row.

Our dear friend , Thomas Knapper showed up with Daytona and her baby! So , surprise , surprise , as the event turned into one huge 10 year skid row resident and long time advocates reunion! 

There was a dancer , musicians , and rappers. Uncle Bean  even showed up and rained money down on those who listened to his act. I wondered if a riot would ensue , but that never happened. The Skid Row Playaz musical group played their numbers and we were all enthralled with those notes. AH! if only I could listen to those guys every night.

There were no problems and LAPD stayed close by in their mobile station to makes sure no one sabotaged the event and sure enough no one did . Thanks to LAPD for their efforts to stay close to the people of skid row who are doing positive things in the community.

According to Sources an injunction against gangmembers selling drugs in skid row will happen shortly

Protester Targets Reverend Andy Bales CEO of Union Rescue Mission at press Conference

A press conference was held in skid row today at Gladys Park that basically marks the beginning of preparations to enforce an injuction against 80 gang members who are selling drugs in skid row. For years gangmembers across the city have had an understanding that they would not be rivals in the lucrative drug bazaar which is skid row in Downtown Los Angeles. The LA Times does the story this morning about the press conference and quotes many service providers and residents who like the idea of this injunction. The ACLU has also stepped in to challenge the injunction , claiming that the LAPD will have carte blanche to search and stop anyone without probable cause because they might resemble the 80 people on the list who are selling drugs in skid row. Over 300 gangmembers might be added to the list. Commander Blake Chow of the LAPD’s Central Division called drugs “probably the biggest threat to the community right now.”

The injunction, Chow said, would help police “protect the homeless from the predators coming from other parts of the city.” Of the dealers, he said, “we can arrest them and arrest them and arrest them, but what we need to do is keep them away.”
The injunction won't go into effect for a couple of months.

Antonio Villaraigosa says that during Budget Crisis he may close Los Angeles City Services 2 days out of the week without 73.5 million dollars from DWP

Don Garza - Downtown Los Angeles

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa calls for closure of public services 2 days out of the week during the City of Los Angeles BUdget Crisis. Park's says he will not get involved in name calling with the Mayor. Apparently, the issue is the matter of the handover of 73.5 million dollars from DWP to add to the City of Los Angeles General Fund.

Eric Garcetti says he welcomes the Mayors embrace on the DWP issue. "In the midst of a recession , before we do a giant rate increase we need accountability. What is important is not to play politics... it is about rate payers who are going through a hard time...we voted for Villaraigosa's green endeavor. You must be tone deaf not to hear what is going on out there. We need to get out of these tough times before we do something drastic... for some reason the Mayor decided not to do that. We will land in the black this year..... We are all aware how tough it is out there at an economic level."

We have to look at our legal options. Garcetti Says about the Mayor's plan to shut down public services . Garcetti says the Mayor can not shut down the unions of city employees.

The numbers don't just add up. The dwp said earlier that they can do it if there was a rate increase after. City council did vote for the 30 million dollars, Eric Garcetti says. 30 million dollar increase. The Mayor can not do the 2 day furlough if the Employee Coalition does not agree.

The Mayor says he has no control over forcing the DWP to hand over the 73.5 Million dollars. The City council says that the Mayor says he does.

Easter was alive and well in Skid Row

Don Garza Downtown Los Angeles

First in a 3 part series on Easter Weekend


The Easter and Passover weekend started with the Los Angeles Mission and their street festival. This year was a poignant and bittersweet time as it was the first time I went and washed feet diabetes free and free of the use of oxygen to help me to breathe.  As always the emphasis at the Los Angeles Mission is the health clinic and the feet washing as homeless and low income folks from all over Downtown have the opportunity to get their feet washed , see a doctor if necessary , and get a new pair of shoes from Etny.




Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Washes feet of woman this year as Doctors look on





The Mayor wasn't the only one who was washing feet!