OUR MISSION. YOUR MISSION.
We break the cycle of homelessness and poverty, by stabilizing people in a safe and spiritual environment, connecting them to solutions, and walking with them on their journey.
Los Angeles Mission strives to be a world leader among Missions that provide for the poor, restore the addicted, and eliminate homelessness.
OUR CORE VALUES:
All services provided to those in need should be done so in love, offering hope, mercy, and compassion.
Personal spiritual transformation occurs from strong Christian discipleship, equipping, and training.
Homelessness is a temporary condition that, when desired, can be overcome with personal healing, educational assistance, housing, and employment.
Addictions can be overcome through prayer, medical treatment, and deep, abiding, healthy relationships.
THE STATISTICS ARE STAGGERING:
Currently, 75,518 people in Los Angeles County are experiencing homelessness.
9,322 people are experiencing homelessness for the first time.
Skid Row is home to the largest population of people experiencing homelessness.
Downtown LA, located in Service Planning Area (SPA 4) has the highest population of people experiencing homelessness.
Nearly 3 out of 4 people experiencing homelessness remain unsheltered.
10,838 have a chronic illness and 18,345 are domestic violence survivors.
30% of our unhoused neighbors report experiencing substance use disorder in LA CoC.
25% of our unhoused neighbors report experiencing serious mental illness in LA CoC.
The proportion of African-American persons experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles far exceeds the proportion in LA County's population.
OUR PROGRAMS + SERVICES
We see each individual as a spiritual person of worth and dignity and worthy of assistance in their journey. Our vision is to see individuals and families set free from addictions and homelessness, transformed by God to become physically and spiritually healthy; educationally equipped to participate in society and sustain housing; and encouraged to create relationships of love and service to others.
FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTION:
- The Mission helps low-income individuals and families in need to access perishable food items and toiletries through a weekly Food Box program.
- Due to increased need for these boxes, we are now distributing up to 200 per week
- Each box provides eight healthy meals for a family of four
- The minimum value of each box is $100
MENS RECOVERY PROGRAM:
Los Angeles Mission’s Fresh Start program is a 13-month onsite residential program.
As a Christ-centered program, we focus on teaching students how to build and maintain a relationship with God and give them the tools to help them sustain their sobriety.
This program focuses on the individual level and aims to help rescue, rehab, and help our residents re-enter society successfully.
THE ANNE DOUGLAS CENTER FOR WOMEN AT LOS ANGELES MISSION:
Every day, women arrive at our door shattered, drained of emotions, suicidal, alone, and in desperate need of help. At the Anne Douglas Center, they are welcomed and offered the chance to transform their lives and regain their dignity.
During the 13-month intensive Life Recovery Program, women are provided shelter, meals, and counseling as they are equipped with skills and taught how to accept responsibility that prepares them for a life of independence.
BRIDGE HOUSING:
The Bridge Transitional Housing program provides free, short-term housing to working people who find themselves unhoused. It provides them with an opportunity to save money while working and acts as a bridge to permanent housing.
The program consists of 35 beds total for adult men and women, meals, and showers as well as supportive services to those in the program.
Last year, 708 stays were provided through our bridge program placing them in a safe living environment resulting in fewer victims of crime.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
- Rehabilitation
- Mental Health Treatment
- Mommy & ME
- No-Cost Legal Clinics
- Workforce Development
- Free Food Boxes
- Free Showers
- Free Meals
STORIES OF CHANGE
Poverty, trauma, and addictions often haunt generation after generation in families. Juan, 70, recalls his own father’s struggles with alcohol. “I remember my father begging on the streets for change so he could get by. I followed in his footsteps. I was 13 when I began using drugs.”
Juan tried to change. He got married and had a family, but his relationship with his wife was very rocky, driving him further into his addiction. Ultimately, Juan struggled with addiction and homelessness for nearly 50 years. Three years ago, Juan finally turned to Los Angeles Mission for help.
“When I came here, everything started coming together for me. I was in the right place with the right people. I started to change, and my relationship with God grew. It was so beautiful.”
Juan’s brokenness had a big impact on his family, including his youngest daughter Melissa, who is now 40. "My dad was always there for me financially, but not emotionally,” she recalls. “Because of everything that was going on, I grew up too fast. By 18, I was married with children." Her marriage quickly declined, and Melissa endured nearly 20 years of severe physical and emotional abuse. Like her father and grandfather, she turned to drugs and alcohol for relief. About a year ago, after experiencing incredible renewal in his own life, Juan visited Melissa.
“I knew I really needed help,” Melissa says. “So, I agreed to join my dad and go to the Anne Douglas Center for Women at Los Angeles Mission.”
Today, Juan and Melissa are not only reunited — they’re thriving. Melissa is also reconnecting and building new relationships with her children.
OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS
EASTER OUTREACH
Every Easter we celebrate with our friends and neighbors on Skid Row. We know that the over 2,000 meals we serve at our Annual Easter event bring hope to those who need it most.
We’re also able to give away over 600 Easter Baskets and 2,000 pairs of shoes thanks to Etnies/Sole Technology and JAKKS Toys.
It’s a day full of hope and restoration for our neighbors on Skid Row, our volunteers, and our staff.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL OUTREACH
Every year Los Angeles Mission is thrilled to serve 300 incredible foster children and their families. From educational tools to essential services, we ensure that every child has the support they need to thrive in the upcoming school year.
This event provides an opportunity to not only reach the demographic we currently serve but also community families that have an increased susceptibility to homelessness, incarceration, and/or child welfare involvement.
THANKSGIVING OUTREACH
Our annual Thanksgiving celebration is a wonderful day here at the Mission. We serve over 3,000 pounds of turkey, 700 pounds of mashed potatoes, 800 pounds of green beans, and 600 pies to our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
We’re also able to give out Bibles, blankets, gifts, medicine, and tarps in preparation for the colder winter months.
CHRISTMAS OUTREACH
Every December we have our annual Christmas dinner for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Lines wrap around the block as families enjoy a true winter wonderland and receive a meal, toys, shoes and health care.
Los Angeles Mission feeds over 2,500 people on Christmas. This is truly a blessed and wonderful day as God’s love is certainly in action right here in the heart of Skid Row.
MONETARY DONATIONS
Give now to provide help, hope, and life change to struggling homeless people in need. Only with the support of friends like you can Los Angeles Mission serve the more than 75,518 homeless men, women, and children in Los Angeles County today. Your compassion will provide:
- A hot, nutritious meal
- A shower and clean clothing
- Safe shelter and a place to sleep
- Primary healthcare for urgent physical needs
- Christian counseling and rehabilitation
- And much more
DONATE FOOD, CLOTHING & ESSENTIAL GOODS
Los Angeles Mission serves the Skid Row community with daily showers and access to hygiene products and toiletries. For this reason, we must keep an abundant supply of these products. Consider sponsoring a hygiene drive among friends and associates to assist us in meeting this need.
- Toothpaste & toothbrush
- Shampoo & conditioner
- Deodorant
- Comb
- Body lotion
- Small face cloth
- Hand sanitizer
- Facial tissues
- Tampons/ sanitary napkins
ADOPT-A-MEAL
The Los Angeles Mission provides nearly 1,500 hot meals every day. You can provide meals and hope – every month – to hungry, homeless, and hurting people here in Skid Row.
When you Adopt-A-Meal, you commit to providing a specific meal – breakfast, lunch, or dinner for hungry, homeless, and hurting men, women, and children who come to the Los Angeles Mission. And since every Mission meal is an opportunity to share life-changing hope with someone desperate; you can help change lives. For a gift of $1,265.00, you can sponsor a designated meal for all those who come to the Mission, up to 500 meals!
SEATS OF COMPASSION
Honor a friend or loved one with a naming opportunity while assisting us in providing compassionate services to those who are homeless/ in recovery.
Holsinger Chapel which also serves as the auditorium space for the Mission is used for various purposes throughout the year including volunteer training, staff meetings, graduation, event reunions, and more. Every day during chapel services, the 400-seat space is occupied by our friends and neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. For each $1,000 gift, a seat can be identified with the name or names of your choice on a brass plaque permanently applied to the front of the seat where a person rests their back.
Your gift to support a Seat of Compassion can help continue to provide a space for them to seek solace.