The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and its partner agencies announced Tuesday that this year’s Winter Shelter Program provided emergency shelter and services to 8,617 homeless individuals and 359 homeless families.
Over the course of the season, the program provided over 141,000 shelter nights and served over 282,000 meals to those in need.
The Winter Shelter Program works to protect the health and safety of homeless individuals by increasing the number of shelter beds during the year’s coldest and wettest months. This winter, the program made available 1,700 beds in Los Angeles County, supplementing the 4,440 beds offered by service providers on an ongoing basis throughout the year. During this season, 15 winter shelters operated from Dec. 1, 2007 through March 15, 2008.
Homeless from Santa Monica were transported to shelters in Culver City and West Los Angeles.
“The Winter Shelter Program is a vital service for thousands of people in Los Angeles County living without homes during the cold and wet winter months,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke. “LAHSA and its partner agencies have done a valiant job this season providing crucial services to a diverse homeless population which includes families, veterans, and chronically homeless persons.”
“This is an enormously complex program to manage — its success wouldn’t be possible without the local communities and agencies who step up each year to help those in need,” Isaacs said.
LAHSA contracts with local service providers to administer the day-to-day operations of each program, which provides temporary emergency shelter, meals, and access to services and supportive housing. This winter, The Salvation Army, EIMAGO, Inc., People Helping People, East San Gabriel Valley Coalition, Catholic Charities, Long Beach Rescue Mission, Pomona Neighborhood Center, Santa Clarita Community Development Corp., SRO Housing, MJB Recovery, Another Chance Outreach, and People Helping People operated shelters in Bell, Burbank, Culver City, West L.A., the East San Gabriel Valley, Lancaster, Long Beach, Pomona, Santa Clarita, Sylmar, Compton, and two each in Downtown L.A. and South L.A. LAHSA has administered the Winter Shelter Program since 1994.
“The Winter Shelter Program is proof that with hard work, partnerships and sustained commitments, we can make a difference in the lives of our neediest individuals and families,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 23, 2008. Read the original PDF.