Local members of the homeless community will have a new place to call home — at least temporarily — when receiving charity from Santa Monica volunteers.
Two of the largest food organizations who currently feed homeless persons in Santa Monica’s public parks will soon move indoors, to a facility on Colorado Avenue which is “conducive to linking the provision of food with outreach and case management services,” a city staff report noted. The location will need a proposed $197,000 for necessary non-structural improvements to the facility, furnishings and equipment, and operating costs for one year. The move is only temporary, however, as the building is scheduled to be demolished for the Big Blue Bus campus expansion in August 2007.
The two organizations scheduled to move into the location are Hand to Hand and HOPE.Currently,Hand to Hand gives out pre-packaged food to the homeless in front of City Hall on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. HOPE offers hot meals in Palisades Park on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. The groups both estimate serving 150 people every week.
Previously, the lack of an indoor location that could house the supportive functions of the two large organizations proved an obstacle. The new location will provide areas for supply storage, social service conference rooms, seating and food service. The location should be able to seat the same number of homeless the organizations currently serve on a weekly basis.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 26, 2006. Read the original PDF.