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helpla-blog · 12 years ago

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What up my fellow Angelenos!?! First-off, I would like to say THANK YOU all for being patient in our company's development. We have been experiencing serious delays in our structuring phase. But after talking with the wonderful Candace F, and several other supporters, we have found the direction that we would ultimately like to pursue. As you have noticed, we have not had an official event since April, but now that we are back, and up and running, we will be having several events coming to our communities soon! But the first event since our comeback will be an event, to GIVE BACK, for ALL OF YOU who have GIVEN BACK! We want to take the time to honor, and recognize all of your hard work you've done for the community! Please join us in for a BBQ Kickback at the Gato/Lacey residence! Enjoy the outdoor sun, great music, and great friends, and just relaxxxxxxxxxxxxx! Here are the deets: -Location: 229 Isabel St. LA, CA -Time: 12:00pm to 3PM -Please bring a potluck dish of your choosing - raw meats, or grilling vegetables are also optional, as a grill will be there -Plates, Silverware, Napkins will be provided -Beer will be provided as well, but please feel free to BYOB! Bring some comfortable clothing, and your dancing shoes! See yall soon! Peace, JMACK

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helpla-blog · 12 years ago

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HELP LA - March Lunch Bags for the Homeless a huge success!

It was a cold Friday night in Los Angeles, but that did not stop the volunteer force that came out to make lunch bags for the homeless. A few arrived a bit earlier to assist with the set up of the preparation tables and the GoPro camera to document our events on video for the first time. The GoPro camera set up will allow the many people who donate and want to volunteer, a clear look inside the operation, to see how easy it is, and how far LESS time consuming it is than you imagine it to be.

With 26 hands combined, an efficient line of sandwich makers, sandwich baggers, and fruit baggers, we assembled over 215 meals! Every individual involved had a responsibility in that assembly line, and every link of that chain was equally important.

Tomatoes were sliced, lettuce was broken, laughs were shared, bread "butts" were discarded, and memories were made!

The following day was our morning meet up for distribution. We packed one car with ALL of the lunch bags, which was quite an effort to fit because the car was already full with 4 people. But we managed to make it work! We then met up at De Longpre park in the middle of Hollywood, and met up two NEW HELP LA volunteers! 7 people all together canvassed for an hour around Hollywood and passed out somewhere between 50-60 lunch bags. It turned out to be quite a success as we learned later that because of the Easter holiday, some food distribution centers were closed, and many homeless people in Hollywood would not have had anything to eat for the day.

After our hour and half long trek around Hollywood, the group then decided to relocate to SKID ROW. It was against what I thought would be a safe trip for the volunteers to take, but with the amount of lunch bags we had left, it was a risk we had knew we had to take. We cautioned every volunteer of sanitary tips, not to touch hands, and stay away and report to the other volunteers about seeing anybody that might be sneezing or coughing. We placed the lunch bags in boxes on the corner of 5th and San Pedro, and stood behind the boxes, as scores of people lined up to pick up a bag. It was a much safer approach, and it seemed to be more efficient. It was heartbreaking to see a young family of 4, (the kids clearly under 8 years old each) approach the line and grab their sacked meals. However, there it is a gratifying feeling to know that we helped feed that family that day, and that we let them know that they should keep pressing on. There will always be people in the community that care, and that the audacity of hope is something we and the thousands of other volunteer groups want to instill in the homeless communities.

With a minimum goal of 150 lunch bags, and a realistic expectation of only 100 bags to be made, 215 bags clearly broke another HELP LA record. In the history of HELP LA and the Feed the Homeless initiatives we have lead, we have fed over 1000 homeless citizens in Los Angeles in less than a year.

The donations that poured in early in February, and the many that continued to contribute throughout March, up until the 29th have really made the difference! The turnout of volunteers and the record breaking results are all in part of the generosity and consideration of people around the city! Our collective efforts together have empowered many to really want to HELP LA.

#helpla #los angeles #feedthehomeless #skidrow #hollywood

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