Homeless Shelter

I would like to clear up a few points made by Solomon Moore in “Sylmar Serves Needy but Beds Go Empty,” Jan. 4.

First, we do not serve stale bagels. We strive to provide fresh food to our clients, serving both a hot dinner and a hot breakfast to those who stay the night at the Sylmar Armory.

Attendance at this shelter is in fact consistent with previous years’ numbers served at the Van Nuys Armory. (Last winter, we provided 6,825 nights of shelter to 496 individuals.) The Sylmar facility is remote, but we run shuttle service from various points throughout the Valley to accommodate as many people as possible. Disabled people and families are provided with motel vouchers. The winter shelter has only been open on a nightly basis since Dec. 16. It takes awhile to reach those people who do not have the benefit of media services such as television, radio and newspapers.

And while the hours imposed on us are difficult, we do not have to vacate the facility until 6:30 a.m. each day, not 4:30 a.m. as mentioned in the article. And while we do try to reach out to the hard-core homeless population, the program also saves the lives of the frail who would not be able to withstand the cold. In addition, when our emergency shelter is filled, we transport clients to the Sylmar Armory, where they can stay until we find other space.

NAT HUTTON

Executive Director,

L.A. Family Housing Corp.

North Hollywood