Photo by Uncle Paulie. La Brea near Dockwieler St., Los Angeles, Nov. 2016
Nov
09
Tag Archives: homeless
Sep
14
Home Sweet Home
Hollywood, September 13, 2016. Photo by uncle paulie
Sep
13
North Hollywood Free Food Update
Food For Homeless in NOHO
by Mr. Food Dude (anon)
The breakfast that was held each Saturday morning at St. David’s church hasn’t been going on for quite sometime. The property was sold to the neighboring Oakwood School. They have been buying up a good deal of property in the area.
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On the final Sunday of the month Angel Hanz still provides some pet care products, water, toiletries, and various services such as haircuts, vet examinations and pet grooming from volunteer providers. But wha is available will vary from week to week. There is also a group that dispenses some warm food such as pasta and also ice cream. Angel Hanz usually gets underway at about 1pm.
Another small group shows up between 2 and 2:30 pm. They used to be affiliated with a number of churches in LA such as New Life, and Tapistry, but now just one family is providing the meal and they are no longer affiliated with either of those churches.
The meal is always the same: fried chicken pieces, white rice and plain beans. They no longer bring desserts, but they do have some soft drinks. They used to be able to bring more when they were backed by their church.
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The Hope of the Valley Mission has relocated from Sun Valley to a church at Tyrone and Victory in Van Nuys. I don’t know if they have any meals on the week ends anymore but they do provide lunches during the week. They also have a number of other services but the best thing to do to find out about them would be to contact them at their new locatoin, which they are sharing with the church. I don’t remember the church’s name or have their phone number. (Editor’s note: See our updated info on Hope of the Valley on this website)
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The 1st Baptist Church of North Hollywood has discontinued providing a meal on the 3rd Sunday of the month, but I believe that they still provide a Tuesday morning breakfast at 10:30am. They use to have a mobile shower truck show up there, but it can now probably be found at St. Matthew’s Church on Camerillo Street (just west of Lankershim). On Wednesdays about about 11 or 11:30 am the church provides a meal and bag lunches to go. I don’t know what time the shower truck is there, but it is probably on Wednesday as well.
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I may have previously mentioned the “Soup Lady” (Linda) who has been bringing food to *North Hollywood Park on Magnolia, west of Tujunga between and the over pass of the 170 freeway.
She arrives between 10:30am and 11am. Linda is a very loving women who has been doing this for a while.
The variety and amount of food can vary from week to week, as can the number of volunteers and attendees.
Linda generally makes something that she brings, and often it is soup. Vegetables, healthy.
Sometimes there are hard boiled eggs, often over-cooked.
Most of the other food is anything but healthy. There are a lot of packaged sweets, and some bread, donated by super markets.
Sometimes a lot of volunteers show up and at other times few.
Unfortunately, the best or “proper” food handling practices aren’t observed. None of the people handing and distributing food are wearing plastic gloves. At times some of the food is handed out by young children. One volunteer who has attended often, will clean fingers that have gotten food on them in her mouth and then continue handing food.
It is terrific that these people come and donate their time and efforts, to help economically disadvantaged people, but they really should have to have some training in food handling and be supervised. Most of the common ailments going around are spread by hands.
Food handling practices often leave a lot to be desired when it comes to free meal distribution, but this particular meal, seems to me to be the worst offender. There are too many people touching and handing out the food. They unload cars and put things in carts and then on the tables. Linda does have some sanitary wipes, but I don’t think that all of the people handling food are using them or using them appropriately. I don’t think that it is a good idea for kids to be handling the food that are going to be distributed.
The other available Saturday meals that take place in Burbank weekly, at a rotation of churches in more sanitary controlled environments.
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I mentioned that the 1st Baptist Church of North Hollywood on Fair and Otsego have discontinued their Sunday meal that was held on the 3rd Sunday of the month. However they are still providing a meal on Tuesday mornings for those who arrive at 10:30am. It is generally a good meal and most is home made and donated by the participating church members.
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On Tuesday’s at about 5:30pm a group of people bring food to North Hollywood Park. About half of the food is homemade. This meal happens quite quickly, and they are packed up and gone in 30 to 40 minutes
There is no lighting there, so I don’t know what is going to happen when we go back on standard time. Most of the providers have jobs and so getting there earlier probably isn’t likely. I will let you know when I know. This group started bringing food in July of 2015.
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* All of the meals provided at North Hollywood Park occur at approximately the same location.
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The pantry at the First Christian Church of North Hollywood, which is held on Monday and Friday mornings lost the person who used to bring food from a Trader Joe’s, which is somewhere in the middle of the Valley. They still give out the usual bag of packaged and canned food, but it just isn’t as good as what was coming from Trader Joe’s. It would be great if there was another person who could get food from TJ’s and bring it to the church parking lot on Monday and/or Friday mornings. The church is on the south east corner of Colfax and Moorpork in Valley Village. The church donates the space but I believe that the pantry is actually under the auspices of a synagogue on Riverside in Studio City.
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The is a new entry from me: ↓
Free Taco Tuesdays
Check out the links below for more information:
As of Aug. 2016 the plan for Free Taco Tuesdays will to be held on alternate Tuesdays (2nd & 4th) at 5221 Cleon Street in North Hollywood from 4pm to 9pm (at least until “standard time’ starts again) (818) 626-7000.
However this meal has moved around a lot, so check their Facebook page before going.
The meal is just little tacos and up to four can be requested at a time. Gaining popularity guests take a number and wait until it is called. with only one cook it can take a while. Bottle water is provided and canned soft drinks are available for $1.
Vida-Life Ministries supports this effort and Jessica “Jesse” Alvarez is the women behind the Taco Tuesday as well as her “best friend” Chris (Chriztopher Garza) does the cooking.
They lost their place to live in the beginning of Dec. of 2015, and have been homeless ever since. Living in a Dodge Charger and a donated RV which stores all of the equipment that is used in preparing and distributing free Tuesday tacos.
The event has been growing and hopefully it will remain on Cleon Street, but it is best to check the links for changes. The latest info from their Facebook page is every Tuesday on Cleon Street.
Even though they were homeless, Jesse and Chris started Taco Tuesday in March of 2016.
Recently tables and chairs were donated to accommodate the turnout.
https://www.google.com/#q=taco+tuesday+for+the+homeless –
https://www.facebook.com/TacoTuesday4Homeless –
@tacotuesday4homeless –
Aug
22
After 6pm the Night Shift Arrives at Bank
Photo by Uncle Paulie
Studio City, CA
Aug
22
New Home For Hollywood Food Coalition
This Fall the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition Will Be Moving the Food Distribution to the Salvation Army ! Finally, Indoor Seating, Bathrooms, Dignity!
Great News! Sometime in late October or early November, the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition will be moving it’s operation to the Salvation Army building in Hollywood at 5939 Hollywood Blvd., near Bronson. The Salvation Army has generously given the GWHFC the use of their kitchen and dining room. Hooray! Homeless folks and others who depend on the nightly hot meal can now have a place to sit down at a table in a clean environment and enjoy a nice meal and chat with friends, just like the rest of humanity. The GWHFC will be in charge, thanks to the great folks at the Salvation Army Hollywood.
“The Line” at Sycamore and Romaine served a purpose for years, as it was the only place to serve food. But it had its drawbacks: no seating, no tables, no bathrooms. Just a dirty sidewalk to sit on. It will be so nice to be indoors, out of the rain in the winter, in a place where you can wash up in a bathroom, and be treated like a human being. So three cheers for the Salvation Army for inviting the Food Coalition to use their facility with no strings attached! And three cheers for Sheri and the great folks at the GWHFC who work so hard every day of the week to provide food for the needy, seniors, homeless, and others! This is a well-deserved move and one that will benefit all parties concerned.
uncle paulie
Aug
01
Ex-Marine Missing In Action
All That’s Left of Homeless Ex-Marine is his Sign and an Empty Shopping Cart
Photo by Uncle Paulie
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the Cold Streets of L.A…………
We fight our country’s battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine
Studio City – Gelson’s Market, August 1, 2016
Jul
18
Bukowski’s Legend Lives
Photo by Uncle Paulie
May
09
Life in Hollywood
Nov
18
Create Overnight Parking Lots Now!
City of Los Angeles Should Act Quickly To Provide Overnight Parking For Folks Living in Vehicles (FLIVS)
Now that the City of Los Angeles is moving forward to tackle the massive issues of homelessness, they could do one thing quickly that does not cost a lot of money and would go a long way to help out those living in their vehicles. Here are a few suggestions from the Gypsy Cool Council:
1. Find parking lots where FLIVS (Folks Living In Vehicles) can park safely overnight
2. The lots should have some kind of bathroom facilities, at least porta-potties.
3. Rules and hours clearly posted. Suggest start at 6pm with all FLIVS to be out of the lot by 9:00am.
4. No drinking or illegal drug use allowed. No loud or bad-behavior will be tolerated.
5. Security to be on site for the protection of the vehicle’s occupants.
6. This is to be a place of refuge, not a place for police to troll the lot to issue citations for minor vehicle violations, like expired license tags. These people need help of all kinds. They do not need to have their situation made worse by cops harassing them over minor vehicle issues.
7. Possibly social service folks could at times be on hand to provide whatever services are possible.
8. Information should be made available about local places to get free or low-cost food.
The City could contact other cities who have run such overnight lots to learn from them about the issues that have surfaced, like trash and other problems. San Diego and Santa Barbara have run these types of facilities in the past.
Another thing that could be immediately done is to revise the “No Overnight Parking” signs that the Department of Public Works has put up all over town. An example would be Riverside Drive, south of Griffith Park, where FLIVS and especially RVs used to park. The City has posted “No Parking from 2am – 5am” signs, eliminating the street for overnight FLIVS. These signs should be taken down. The street can be controlled from permanent camping by simply having 2 hour parking from 9:am to 6pm signs put up. It is really cruel and discriminating to put up signs all over the city to keep poor folks, visitors, and vacationers from parking in those areas at night. The signs should start coming down now.
Posted by Uncle Paulie
If you have comments on this issue send to gypsycool@live.com
May
16
Free RV Parking Websites
Here Are Some Links to Websites that Offer Information on Free or Low-Cost Overnight Parking and Camping
Boondockers Welcome is a group that spans the Country and sets up a trade of Free Parking. So if you have a space in your driveway, you can join up and then use someone else’s space while you are on vacation. For those of you living in your vehicles, you can still use this, you might have to pay a small fee, but possibilities are there for some imaginative trade-offs. CLICK HERE
Wheelingit This website is for RVs, but lists some great places for overnight parking. Aside from Walmart, there’s the Casinos, some big box stores like Camping World, Flying J Truck Stops, and much more. CLICK HERE to access their article on Free Parking at various places.
OvernightParking Overnight RV Parking is a website that sells an app that tells you spots around the Country to park for free. If you are on the road, this would be helpful in locating spots for safe parking. CLICK HERE
San Diego Safe Parking Program for Homeless If you are living in a vehicle, this group offers free, safe overnight parking in the San Diego area. You have to register, and they do not tolerate bad behavior or drugs. They will also help you with some social service benefits and housing. Parking starts at 6pm. CLICK HERE to go to the website and apply. This is a program that should be in every major city, and volunteers at gypsycool have talked about, but it is very difficult to find a church or business to participate, much less the Los Angeles area cities.