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Northridge Sparkle and the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission Team up to Tackle Homelessness in Northridge





According to the LA Times, homelessness increased in 2015 in the city and county of Los Angeles, leaving nearly 47,000 people in the streets and shelters despite an intensive federal push that slashed the ranks of homeless veterans by nearly a third, according to figures released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

Nearly two-thirds of the homeless people tallied countywide, or 28,000, were in the city of Los Angeles, representing an 11% jump in January from a year earlier, a report from the agency stated. The county's homeless population grew 5.7%. Homelessness has increased steadily since 2013, as local officials struggle to identify funding for billion-dollar plans they approved this year to solve one of the region's most intractable problems.

Tackling the local homeless issue is the goal of a program which highlights the cooperation of Northridge Sparkle and the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission.  Like other programs of the SFV Rescue Mission, including their very successful mobile shower program, getting the homeless off the street and creating a sense of dignity and responsibility through volunteer service to the community is the goal of this project. Another goal of the project is to better integrate the homeless into the local community through interaction with local volunteer activists.

Under the supervision of staff of the Rescue Mission and Sparkle leader Don Larson, local homeless members will work in small teams for one hour or more two times per week, helping to clean Northridge streets and sidewalks. The project has the support of Council District 12, local Northridge neighborhood councils and staff from Mayor Garcetti’s Volunteer Corps. The project also hopes to access supplemental funds from a grant from the city’s Clean Streets LA Challenge.

The Clean Streets LA Challenge grants, which seeks to improve LA streets and sidewalks, and which are available in amounts from 5000 dollars and up, are available for worthwhile projects.  Workshops for the grant development process will be scheduled in August for interested parties. The winning grant projects will be selected in September.

We applaud the commitment of Northridge Sparkle, the San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission and Council District 12 for their good work to reduce homelessness in our community.  Those who would like to participate in this or any other activities of Northridge Sparkle can contact them at https://www.facebook.com/northridgesparkle/.
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