Rose Rios and her Cover the Homeless Ministry

Rose Rios, 70, with Cover the Homeless Ministry, puts on a dry pair of socks for Andrea Wilt, who lives near Pico Boulevard and La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. Rios goes into the worst parts of South Los Angeles to give people money, blankets, clothes and food. She runs her ministry by herself out of her home.

Rose Rios, 70, with Cover the Homeless Ministry, puts on a dry pair of socks for Andrea Wilt, who lives near Pico Boulevard and La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. Rios goes into the worst parts of South Los Angeles to give people money, blankets, clothes and food. She runs her ministry by herself out of her home.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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She doesn’t get paid, and her mission is to shepherd the neediest cases through the byzantine social services system and get them into housing. She’s been doing this on her own for more than two decades.

Rose Rios

Rose Rios gives Andrea Wilt a hug after providing the homeless woman with food, blankets and socks in Los Angeles.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Ronald Stewart, 32, shows where he was stabbed as Rose Rios, right, and April Montes look on in South Los Angeles. Stewart, Montes and others live in tents along East 45th Street and San Pedro Place in South Los Angeles.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios salutes homeless Air Force veteran Kristy, who was living in her car since she lost her apartment in Los Angeles. Kristy was placed into Veterans Affairs housing the next day with Rios’ help.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios checks in on Maria Diaz, 45, who lives in a tent with her puppies at 53rd Street and Grand Avenue alongside the 110 Freeway in South Los Angeles.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Maria Diaz in her tent with her puppies.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios feeds pie to Donald Shields, 59, who is legally blind and living in an alley in South Los Angeles. Shields is being taken care of by childhood friends Wayne Robinson, 58, right, and Daniel Murray, 59, background.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios helps Aldora Smith, 65, in the alley where she lives with her boyfriend, Daniel Murray, 59, right, in South Los Angeles. Rios was hoping to get them a voucher for a motel room and to address Smith’s medical needs.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios takes Aldora Smith and Daniel Murray to a homeless outreach program.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios and Aldora Smith after social workers said they needed more time to assess Smith’s situation. Rios took Smith back to her rain-soaked tent to collect medicine and clothes, and then drove her and her boyfriend to a church shelter in South Los Angeles.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Aldora Smith and Daniel Murray at the Bethal Church shelter in South Los Angeles.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios helps sign in Aldora Smith at the church shelter.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Rose Rios

Rose Rios helps Aldora Smith with her cot and blankets at the shelter.

  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)