THE PEOPLE CONCERN IS ON THE FRONT-LINES DURING COVID-19

Throughout the pandemic, our teams have continued to deliver life-saving services to our most vulnerable neighbors every day. We are accustomed to helping people navigate the most challenging times but this pandemic is particularly tough on our neighbors experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence. As anxiety and concerns mount, the need for our services grows and we continue to show up every day to connect people with the support they need. Your generosity enables us to remain on the front-lines.
 
In this MSNBC video, our CEO John Maceri shares how COVID-19 is impacting our neighbors experiencing homelessness, and how our agency is continuing to providing essential services to ensure their health and safety.
 
 
Donate today!

The safety and well-being of our program participants, staff and community remain paramount. The People Concern is taking all necessary and recommended precautions and measures to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We are working with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), Department of Mental Health (DMH) and Department of Health Services (DHS) to ensure that we have the appropriate plans in place and can swiftly and effectively respond to directives from the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

 
To view COVID-19 Daily L.A. County data, including information on how the pandemic is impacting our neighbors experiencing homelessness, please visit the Los Angeles Department of Public Health website or click here.
OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROTOCOL FOR SAFEGUARDING OUR COMMUNITY INCLUDES:
  • Ensuring we continue to provide services for program participants
  • Training staff on safety precautions to mitigate the risk of spread
  • Staff proactively communicating information to program participants on how to keep themselves and others safe, and providing our neighbors with hygiene resources
  • Posting information from public health agencies in highly visible areas at administrative and service-delivery locations
  • Instructing staff who are exhibiting symptoms to remain home; identifying quarantine locations for program participants in Interim Housing
  • Pausing the majority of onsite volunteer activities
  • Continuing to clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
  • Implementing head to toe sleeping arrangements in Interim Housing
  • Implementing an emergency communication system for staff
  • Following social distancing recommendations issued by Los Angeles Department of Public Health

YOUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE

 

We appreciate the outpouring of support from our community during these trying times; our neighbors need us now more than ever. If you’re interested in donating items, please contact donations@thepeopleconcern.org for more information regarding items in need. We also look forward to welcoming back our dedicated volunteers and to expanding our volunteer program once it is safe to do so. Please contact volunteer@thepeopleconcern.org for ways to get involved from home.

 
Here are a few ways you can make a difference today:

1. Make a Monetary Contribution.

COVID-19 has forced us to change our way of connecting, but through this challenging time, communities all over the world have shown tremendous resiliency and what it truly means to support and care for each other. Although we’ve had to change our normal day-to-day routines, The People Concern remains committed to our goal – creating a future in which everyone throughout Los Angeles County is housed, healthy and safe. Our teams are on the front-lines serving our most vulnerable neighbors every day. 

The need for our services has grown tremendously as a result of the pandemic, and we continue to provide life-saving services to the people we serve.

You have the opportunity to save lives. Make a positive impact today! Here’s what your donation can do:

hands
$50
provides 10 hygiene kits.
hand
$150
provides 3 meals/day for one program participant for two weeks.
house
$300
provides one month of groceries for a resident in permanent supportive housing.
Donate Today!

2. SUPPORT OUR LAUNDRY PROGRAMS.

Please support our laundry programs by donating quarters for our program participants to use. Help our most vulnerable neighbors maintain their hygiene! Quarters can be dropped off at our 16th St. Mailbox or our Arlington office. 

3. Participate in Summer Giving by providing In-Kind Donations.

Help us secure urgently-needed items, so we can support and care for our most vulnerable neighbors.

During the summer months, it becomes even more difficult for our neighbors living on the streets to protect themselves from the hot weather. We invite you to participate in Summer Giving – an opportunity to donate much-needed items and show your neighbors that you are standing with them during these difficult times. 

We are focusing our efforts on securing the following items to help our neighbors stay protected: sunscreen, socks, umbrellas and water bottles.

List of in-kind donations
Disinfecting SuppliesDisinfecting supplies
ThermometersThermometers
Hand soapHand soap
Cell phonesCell phones
Hand sanitizerHand sanitizer

Paper towels + toilet paper

Non-perishable goodsNon-perishable goods
Sack lunchesItems for sack lunches
Frozen foodFrozen food
Disposable foodwareDisposable foodware
Gift cardsGift cards
Purchase Items Today!
In addition to the items listed above, we’re experiencing an ongoing need for Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and hand sanitizer. If you are able to donate and/or connect us with a company/supplier who might be able to help, please email donations@thepeopleconcern.org.

Please mail or deliver donations to one of the following locations below:

  • 2116 Arlington Avenue Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90018. You can drop-off donations in person on Tuesdays from 9 AM – 12 PM.
  • 1453 16th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404. You can drop off donations in person on Mondays from 9 AM – 12 PM.

4. Support our food services efforts.

We are seeing increased demand for our services and meals across our 24-hour and drop-in programs. The food security of our program participants is at stake. You can help support our food services efforts throughout our permanent supportive housing (PSH), interim housing and Access Center.
PSH
Our neighbors are in need of nonperishable food items so that they can remain healthy and safe in their homes during these uncertain times.

Can you help them out next time you go shopping?

1. When you are doing your grocery shopping, fill up grocery bags with the following items:

  • Five (5) cans of soup
  • Four (4) cans of veggies (to be cooked stove top or microwave)
  • Two (2) bags of rice
  • Five (5) cans of beans
  • One (1) box of granola bars or protein bars
  • Two (2) boxes/bags of pasta noodles
  • Two (2) cans of pasta sauce

2. Drop off the bags at the location below:

  • 2116 Arlington Avenue, Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90018 on Tuesdays from 9 AM – 12 PM
  • 1453 16th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404 on Mondays from 9 AM – 12 PM

Anything and everything helps. If you are unable to purchase all of the items, please feel free to drop off any of the listed items to the same locations and we will make sure they get to the people we serve in permanent supportive housing.

Interim Housing
If it’s unsafe for you to grocery shop, you can still help by catering a meal from a restaurant for our Interim Housing program participants.

We provide people experiencing homelessness with 3 meals a day, 7 days a week at 6 Interim Housing sites. Catering a meal for participants at a site will allow us to dedicate funds toward our other critical service needs. Purchase a meal from a restaurant and have it delivered to our Interim Housing across Los Angeles County – the number of people varies by location from 45-100.

Please email volunteer@thepeopleconcern.org to tell us you’re interested. We’ll work with you to help coordinate the day, time and location.

Access Center/Outreach
In addition, our Santa Monica Access Center typically provides 200+ sack lunches daily to people experiencing homelessness. With the temporary closing of some of our partner agencies, we are now seeing much higher demand, and are in need of your support.

We can use the following donations:

  • Turkey deli meat
  • Sliced cheese
  • Granola bars
  • Individual bags of chips
  • Fruits (soft, easy to chew)
  • Bread Sandwich-size
  • Ziploc bags
  • Brown paper bags

Please deliver sack lunch donation items to: 503 Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401 on Monday – Friday from 9 AM – 5 PM.

In addition to sack lunch items, we are also accepting catered box lunches. If you are able to provide catered box lunches, please email donations@thepeopleconcern.org.