Due to the pandemic, this year the Archdiocese’s of Los Angeles’ Adopt-A-Family program will replace its in-person volunteer-based gift and food distribution to underserved families in Skid Row and downtown L.A. with distribution of gift cards to more than 500 families through different organizations that serve the families. The effort was possible through donations from Homeboy Industries, St. Anne’s Center, Los Angeles Police Department and the Knights of Columbus, among others.
“For the past 30 years, the Adopt-a-Family Program at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels has brought a ‘magical Christmas’ to the children of skid row and the downtown Los Angeles area,” said Msgr. TerranceFleming, executive director of theArchdiocese’s Mission Office. “Neither sleet, nor snow or Covid has diminished either the need or the ‘will’ to deliver this. Instead of boxes of groceries and toys, this year it is gift cards. I am overwhelmed of the generosity of our donors and very thankful for all who help carry out this dream.”
Every year, the Archdiocese’s Mission Office gathers nearly 1,000 volunteers of all ages at the Cathedral of the Lady of the Angels to hand-deliver donated food, and Christmas gifts, including toys, houseware, clothing and school supplies to hundreds of underserved families in downtownL.A. and the Skid Row area, serving more than 1,230 children annually. This year, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic the annual program had to adjust to the guidelines established by the Archdiocese and state and local public health authorities.
Organizations such as Homeboy Industries, St. Anne’s Center, St. Patrick Church, St. Turibius School, Dolores Mission Church, Pueblo Del Rio, St. Francis Center, Los Angeles Police Department, and others, joined efforts to make this tradition possible. In addition, the Knights of Columbus donated 200 coats for boys and girls….
The above comes from a Dec. 18 release from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
This is wonderful. It demonstrates the real meaning of Christmas and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
This is a good effort. The people they serve need help. Gift cards are a good selection because it can’t be spent on drugs.
Now, the second step is to erase the root cause of homelessness and provide needed services for those with mental issues.
Root causes like drug addiction (including alcohol) and mental health issues do need to be addressed. And, both of those maladies are more frequent among those raised without a father. Fatherlessness is devastating to our society, yet it’s unpopular to acknowledge that cause of the many negative outcomes (in terms of physical health, mental health, education, poverty, crime, and relational and marital health) for many of those not raised by a mother and a father. One example: the juvenile crime rate is almost identical for boys raised by their fathers regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or income.
Yes, no way desperate druggies have learned to barter gift cards for drugs.
The best thing is to give actual food if you can. One time I had stopped off at a church to pray in their chapel, and a man asked me for money for food since the priest was not there to give him any. I did not have any money, but I told him I had an extra Arby’s sandwich in an untouched container that I had gotten with a “two for one” coupon. I had eaten the other one. He said he would like to have it, so I gave it to him, he sat down on the bench outside to eat it, and I knew he was really hungry. There was no alcohol on his breath, and he was telling the truth since I found the chapel locked. I believe that was no coincidence.