Homeless L.A. Project

The HLA Project is a media for social justice endeavor focused on recognizing the work of the people and organizations helping the homeless in Los Angeles

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#Repost @launitedway ・・・ 📢 YOU can save 75,000 people from a life on the streets...curious how? A quick trip to the ballot box will get you there 😉 #YesOnH #HopeForHomeless (at Los Angeles, California)

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The 3rd episode of the #hlaproject was filmed on March 15th, #2016 We start off in Northeast #LA for food prep and drive out #DTLA to serve the #homeless Meet Alan. #Architect by day, Burrito Man by night. Alan has been doing amazing work for the #cityofangels through @theburritoproject . They gather #volunteers monthly, not just during the #holidays , to give out #delicious #gourmet #burritos to the homeless population #burritoproject #losangeles #christmas #merrychristmas (at Los Angeles, California)

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What are you #thankful for??? Happy #thanksgiving

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The #hlaproject is #thankful for this dynamic duo. We thank these awesome sisters and the Corona family for their love and support in our cause. Happy #thanksgiving

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What are you #thankful for?? Very #grateful for another day - #hlaproject Happy #thanksgiving

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#thanksgiving 2015 - Meet Maaliq, a local #barber who #donate 's his time and #talents for #communityservice during the #holidays #losangeles #hlaproject #veterans #phibetasigma #pbs1914 #ΦΒΣ #GOMAB #brotherhood #scholarship #service #cultureforserviceandserviceforhumanity

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It's no secret, there are many people living on the streets. Let's help lift our brothers and sisters off the concrete and into #affordablehousing #yesonHHH #rockthevote #govote #vote #LosAngeles #LA #endhomelessness #homeless #hlaproject

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The 2nd Episode of the #hlaproject was filmed on December 18th, 2015 and takes us to #venice #ca - otherwise known as the #slumbythesea  Meet Marisol who gathers #friends and #family every 3 months to distribute food and clothing to the #homeless in her neighborhood

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Many of us are puzzled with the 2016 presidential election, but we must not be discouraged from showing up to #vote ... Our State and local governments need our participation in local #politics #Repost @yesonhhh ・・・ @latimes sees #YesOnHHH as a critical part of the city and country's response to #homelessness. Read more on why the LA Times Editorial Board endorses #prophhh! [Link in bio]

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Watch Episode One in full length here: http://bit.ly/2cQo2u7

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In Retrospect - Episode One

E1 - Coach Ron The One and Only | watch it here 

I began this journey into what I call the Homelessness Space with Coach Ron The One and Only.  A simple google search “homeless veterans” popped up a hit with Coach Ron’s event information through the VolunteerMatch.org site.  This was my very first time volunteering through #VolunteerMatch and wasn’t really sure what to expect.  And because of this unfamiliarity, naturally there were moments leading up until the date where I would question whether or not I truly wanted to go forth with the project.  I thought to myself,  “If I were homeless would I want some guy with a camera asking me questions?? Or what about the volunteers, they aren’t serving the needy to gain recognition for it.”  Nevertheless, on Halloween night I marched on and showed up with a tray full of Polish Kielbasa and Bratwurst sausages.  

Upon arrival I kept the camera in the car, I always do.  That’s my way of mitigating the impact that the presence of camera has on people.  I like to show up as myself first and get a feel for the folks I’m going to be working with.  I met Ron for the first time and helped setup the table we were gonna be using.  Volunteers started trickling in and set up shop in a jiffy.  I helped serve food for about 15-20 minutes, but still made no mention of the camera.  I was really anxious to bring it out to capture what was happening, but at the same time was beginning to question the probity of the setup.

For starters, what Coach Ron is doing isn’t a full fledged non-profit program with large gifts dropping into a hefty endowment.  From a rudimentary perspective, it’s just a guy setting up a table on a random street in DTLA.  Online there was mention that the focus was on feeding homeless veterans, however, let’s just say that wasn’t the case.  There was no method employed to verify the people we were handing food to were in fact military veterans.  However, this realization was met with a great level of compassion... in other words wisdom which I credit was gained through the teachings learned in school as I was a Philosophy major early in my collegiate career.    

No we weren’t in a facility with a kitchen and shelter. No we did not verify if they were actually veterans.  What we were doing is serving homeless and disadvantaged people and no matter how you look at it, that’s still providing a smile to someone who needs it, and if they weren’t wearing that smile on their face certainly their tastebuds were.  We were there serving all thanks to Coach Ron, how can you be mad at that?  Because of his efforts the folks you will meet in episode one had the opportunity to be on the ground and share a laugh or two with people they otherwise wouldn’t have connected with in their daily routine.

Coach Ron had a great spirit and if you have never volunteered in this kind of environment you can think of him as your guardian through this journey.  It is amazing to think what a man with a table and access to the web can accomplish.  

That’s all for now, if you read this please share with others through your favorite social media, who knows who you might inspire to volunteer.  Also, stay on the lookout for episode 2 where I go to Venice, CA to meet Marisol and her troop of volunteers. To join Coach Ron in DTLA or other efforts to help the homeless visit volunteermatch.org.