Leo Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina, “Spring is the time of plans and projects.” And that is entirely evident within LAN4N! Our biggest project by far is our monthly Resource Center. There’s an incredible amount of behind the scenes work that goes into making it the successful event it is. Our core organizing team, a coalition of partner organizations and friends, puts in a great behind the scenes planning and work effort every month to basically recreate the Resource Center every third Saturday from scratch. Each month, service providers need to be scheduled, and volunteers rounded up and assigned duties. This is a pretty simplified accounting of the work. Yet like spring flowers, we all enjoy the final blossom without much thought that goes into the mystery of a simple seed becoming a beautiful bloom.
And speaking of the season, we had a gorgeous Spring day for our April Resource Center on April 15. The sun was out and it was a perfect day! Our guests once again were able to meet with critical service providers and obtain necessary supplies. A small army of volunteer drivers spread throughout the Westside to pick up our guests, deliver them safely to the event, and bring them back to their encampment when they were ready to return.
For our guests, attending the Resource Center is a respite. We aim to provide the best hospitality we can. Guests and volunteers alike are greeted with a continental breakfast including coffee, pastries, yogurt and fresh fruit. Snacks and beverages are plentiful, as well as our famed hot dish of Mexican rice and beans with all the toppings and accoutrements to personalize your meal.
A joyful spot is acoustic guitar music. Nathan plays the contemporary tunes we all know and love, and sing along to. It's not unusual for one of our guests to sit in and play a tune as well!
Many of our guests have pets. Living on the street is difficult enough, yet the companionship of a pet can help ease anxiety and boost self-confidence. We make sure to have pet supplies on hand. It's also a delight when pets come to visit us at the Resource Center.
We have so many wonderful volunteers! They are the lifeblood of our event. We would not have a Resource Center if it weren't for the fabulous volunteers we have every month. Please sign up for the May Resource Center on May 20 at laneighbors.org. It's also a good excuse to check out our new website if you haven’t already done so!
As plans and projects were mentioned earlier, a lot of our efforts are still going into following and caring for our guests who were moved off the street into the LA Mayor’s Inside Safe program. The PR machine through media sources has painted a pretty picture, but it is far from that. The services promised are not happening. The motel living conditions for many are abysmal. And mostly, people are not being fed! Most of our communications are from hungry people in need of food. We are doing our best to meet the needs of our friends. But it is overwhelming. For us, and many other mutual aid organizations like us doing the same in their areas of the city. Please check out www.insidestarving.com for more details on the REAL unsuccess of Inside Safe.
Please consider helping us with any donation to continue doing the critical work we are doing. As a completely volunteer led organization, every dollar that comes in goes right back out to assisting people and their needs. Thank you!
A big thank you to the April Service Providers:
ACAB Library
Bikerowave
Chrysalis
CLARE|MATRIX
Housing MV
Hunger Action LA
LA County Registrar/Recorder
LAHSA
Miracle Messages
St. Bede’s Episcopal Church
St. Joseph Center
Tangana Wellness
UCLA Homeless Healthcare Collaborative
Venice Community Housing
And a hearty recognition to our coalition of organizations:
Free Food Collective
Mar Vista Voice
PUMA (Palms Unhoused Mutual Aid Universal Human Rights Initiative
