Help for Skid Row

In response to queries from readers about how help improve things on skid row, here is a partial list of established agencies:

Los Angeles Catholic Worker

Catholic Workers say their mission is to “feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, care for the sick, clothe the naked, visit the prisoner.” They run a skid row soup kitchen.lacatholicworker.org

Central City Community Outreach

A ministry of the Church of the Nazarene, Central City provides, among other services, an after-school tutoring program for children on skid row.www.lacentralcity.org

Chrysalis

Chrysalis offers a wide range of job training and employment services. changelives.org

Downtown Women’s Center

Women on skid row can drop in here for showers, meals, restrooms and mail services. The agency also provides permanent housing to 47 previously homeless women.dwcweb.org

Fred Jordan Mission

This mission has a particular focus on mothers and children.https://www.fjm.org

Inner City Law Center

Focusing primarily on housing and benefits, the center offers legal services.https://www.innercitylaw.org

JWCH Institute

The JWCH Institute runs programs that provide medical services to indigent patients.https://www.jwchinstitute.org

Los Angeles Mission

Offering everything from meals and shelter to medical treatment and drug treatment, this mission has served L.A.’s homeless and poor since 1936.https://www.losangelesmission.org

Midnight Mission

Even before the Los Angeles Mission arrived on skid row, there was the Midnight Mission. Founded in 1914, it offers everything from temporary shelter and food to longer-term housing and recovery programs. https://www.midnightmission.org

Para Los Niños

This agency aims to raise”at-risk children out of poverty and into brighter futures through positive educational opportunities” and other support.https://www.midnightmission.org

Prototypes

Serving “high-risk” women, Prototypes offers outreach and medical services. https://www.prototypes.org/facts.htm

St. Vincent’s Cardinal Manning Center

The center runs a skid row shelter as well as longer-term housing programs.https://www.svdpla.org/center.html

United Coalition East Prevention Project

An agency aimed at preventing substance abuse. https://www.socialmodel.com/prevent_united.php

Union Rescue Mission

Union Rescue offers an array of services, including food, shelter, medical and dental care, legal aid, mental health services,and job training.https://www.urm.org

Volunteers of America

With two locations on skid row, Volunteers of America offers shelter, food, clothing, vocational training, treatement for alcohol and drug addiction. https://voala.org

Weingart Center

The Weingart Center provides services for the homeless and mentally ill, and is also a leader in the discussion of innovative solutions to homelessness. https://www.weingart.org/

SRO Housing Corp.

This agency develops and manages housing for people who might otherwise be homeless. https://www.srohousing.org

Little Tokyo Service Center

The center provides a range of social services, including family counseling. It also sponsors downtown housing projects. https://www.ltsc.org