cause
THE CAUSE: DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S CENTER
For this quarter's cause we chose to focus our efforts closer to home, with a local organization we believe in deeply; the Downtown Women's Center.
According to the Institute for the Study of Homelessness and Poverty at the Weingart Center, an estimated 254,000 men, women and children experience homelessness in Los Angeles County during some part of the year and approximately 82,000 people are homeless on any given night. About 33-50% of the homeless population in Los Angeles is women. About 20-43% of the community is families, typically headed by a single mother. With 119 apartments on site, the DWC provides homes and support for the large percentage of women in need in our city. They also work to find housing and care for female veterans and women with severe health concerns within the community.
The DWC day center provides a stop-in refuge for women living on the streets or in night-to-night shelters. Meals, showers, clothing, and other essential resources are provided here. There are also educational career programs in the facility to help women on Skid Row overcome the employment barriers that face them.
In addition to hollistic health programs at their on-site clinic that include psychiatric sessions, mental health counseling, and group therapy, as well as self-care workshops and fitness classes, DWC has partnered with the organization Peace Over Violence to provide assistance applying to Victim Compensation, referrals for food, shelter, and housing services, medication support services, and access to therapy, community trainings, and more.
Read more about the Downtown Women's Center here, make a donation (you can also donate goods or volunteer) and follow them on instagram.
