#mondaynightmission

[superpet]

Oranges Don’t Cure Cancer

As I rounded the corner back towards home from my dogs’ walk, my dogs and I encountered a homeless man struggling to sit down on the sidewalk next to a clothing donation box. He was clearly exhausted. I’ve come to know the local homeless people in my neighborhood from over the years, and for the most part, they have been unthreatening and upheld interesting conversations with me. I’ve known many of them by their names, but this man was new to me. Not knowing anything about him, I smiled, said hello and kept my dogs and me on our way. However, my rescued doxy/chihuahua mix, Dixie, had other plans. She dug in refusing to walk and began pulling towards the homeless man, now propped up against the donation box, his legs stretched out in front of him. Dixie began to whine and was adamant about making contact with this man.

Since her rescue, Dixie has proven to be an extraordinary dog. Her energy has a calming effect on other dogs and she has yet to meet another she couldn’t win over. She is also incredibly friendly and insists on meeting everyone in her path (our walks sometimes take forever because of it) and will climb into anyone’s lap who happens to be sitting down when our paths cross. Very much like she was doing at this moment. Her claws scrapped the sidewalk as she fought to backtrack towards this man. He watched her with the same caution I watched him.

“Hi. Her name is Dixie. She really really wants to say hi to you. Is that okay?”

He looked at me almost surprised I was speaking to him. He nodded and I gave Dixie some slack. She immediately, tail vigorously wagging, climbed into his lap. He looked at her puzzled as she got comfortable and stable. She looked up into his face with her big brown eyes. He cracked a little smile and put a gentle hand on her back.

“She seems to like you, a lot.” The other two dogs paid no attention to the man.

“I think she knows I’m dying.”

It was an odd thing for him to say and yet I found myself engaging him. “From what?”

“Cancer. They kicked me out of the hospital a few days ago.” His eyes were sky blue, intense, urgent, memorable.

I’ve heard this before, I’ve seen this before, and it’s frustrating and heartbreaking. Thousands and thousands of people on the streets of Los Angeles, homeless, mentally ill, drug addicted, terminal without resources or help of any kind. Dying on the streets is a reality for so many people. “Can I call anyone for you?”

“How can you help me? I have cancer.” He answered on autopilot, assuming he’s disclosed having cancer to other people getting the ‘what can I do’ impulse response.

I learned a long time ago there’s nothing I’m capable of doing to help so I offer what I can do. “That’s not what I asked. I asked if there was someone I could call. A family member? The hospital?”

He looked down at Dixie who was still happily perched on his lap. “No, there’s no one to call.” He gave her a gentle stroke down her back and I tugged on the leash, prompting her to come towards me.

“I’m very sorry this has happened to you,” I said sincerely and left it at that. Anything else would come across condescending and I continued on my way with my dogs.  

I was angry and saddened that this was the life for so many people. I was pissed to know that the city of Los Angeles has over 40,000 empty buildings that could easily be turned into low-income housing or shelters and yet nothing has been done to help those that need help the most. It burned me when I learned that the state of California has had 2 billion dollars earmarked for homeless housing for the past two years and not a dime has been spent. Fuck fuck fuck. I couldn’t stop thinking about the homeless man on the rest of my walk. When I got home, I grabbed my last two oranges off the kitchen counter, a bottle of water and two red velvet dessert bars and threw them in a small plastic bag. I headed back out the door.

The homeless man was in the same position as when I left him. “Hi,” I said. “What’s your name?”

He glanced at me and eyed the bag in my hand. “John.”

“I want to give this to you, it’s not much, just what I had.”

John struggled to get up; I did my best to help him to his feet. When he finally stood, I was taken aback by how tall he was. At 5’10 he had a good six inches over me and seemed rather solid while on the sidewalk he looked crumpled and deceivingly frail. I caught a whiff of him. He didn’t smell like alcohol or body odor or even cigarette smoke like one would expect. It was mild but it was clear, it was decay.

John took inventory of the bag’s contents. “This won’t cure cancer.” His tone, almost offended, perhaps disappointed that it wasn’t some cure-all in a bag.

“No, it won’t,” I said.

John nodded. “Thank you.” For whatever reason, he felt he needed to move on after our encounter. I watched him walk down the block staying close to the buildings, slightly limping. It was the first and only time I saw him.      

[leonfresa]

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A post shared by Leslie Rojas (@leslierojas)

When I was 18, I started school in downtown LA & I noticed on a daily the Homeless crisis in our city. You can’t ignore it, in the last decade I have witnessed the problem grow bigger and bigger. Los Angeles is the Homeless capital of the United States. Los Angeles isn’t a sports team, it’s not LALALand. It’s a place with people, we are defined by the way we treat the people that can do nothing for us. This is our city, our problem. Never assume why people are in this situation because a lot others are only a paycheck away from being there too. The good thing is that we can all contribute to make our home a better place, we need to stop ignoring the situation and bring more awareness to the problem. We only did a sprinkle today but Orgs like #MondayNightMission feed the homeless M-Sat. I️ am beyond excited to share this journey with kids and youth so they grow up aware and know that together we can change the world, starting with our city. ✨♥️🌃🏙 #LosAngeles #skidrow #bethechange #lovela #ilovela #makingadifference #thisisLA #mycity

[mrpeabody8686]

#yesonh #laoncloud9 #mondaynightmission #oscars

[solidarityradio]

If you missed our first episode it is now #archived on #soundcloud and #mixcloud for your #listening pleasure Link in bio! Thanks for #tuning in and staying #informed #herstory #ezln #shesdoes #mondaynightmission #showerofhope #community #solidarityradio #pluggedin #music #culture #produced by @aztecavision @heidsrod @el_guido_ #onelove

[laoncloud9]

#JerryBrown be the man, release the fund we know you can!! #EndHomelessnessCA #EricGarcetti #MarkRidleyThomas #MondayNightMission #LAC9 #LAonCloud9 #helpthehomeless

[quangxv]

"We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something." - Mother Teresa Skid row Heroes - 02/26/2016 Join me along with this incredible team to lend a hand and feed those who are in need on skidrow! DM me for details & lets make a difference! #mondaynightmission #helpthosewhoneedshelp #skidrow #skidrowheroes (at DTLA)

[nagchampanchucks]

Continuing on the amazing donation from @Stancesocks which I am now dubbing #itsbiggerthanhipsocks. Last week in partnership with @Mondaynightmission, volunteers sorted out, paired and were able to pass out a few hundred pairs of brand new #stancesocks along with the regular nightly meals, fruit and water to our Homless brothers and sisters living out on the streets of #skidrow. Socks are a hygeine essential that sadly most of us take for granted but to someone living on the street are seen as a luxury. Imagine if you didnt have a good pair of shoes or a good pair of socks to protect your feet from the elements much less the garbage, sewage and dangerous items like glass and needles which you have to walk across everyday? Can you imagine being without any hygiene essential for a few days, week, month or longer? You can imagine the health risks and problems that this would raise alone not taking into account all the others that you are also facing. This is what fellow human beings are up against every day and night all around the world. Please elevate your awareness and do what you can to make a difference. Thanks soo much to Stance and my #Mondaynightmission volunteer family for all your help and support. As always....focus on hope!!!!! :)

[rantsofanocdgirl]

The Wonders of Involuntary Treatment

Coercive treatment is a touchy subject. There are advocates who say forcing someone against their will takes away their civil liberties. It’s true that prior to the curtailment of involuntary hospitalization, the power was abused. But has curtailment gone too far? People such as Elliot Rodger and Adam Lanza had signs that they were ill, but because they were over eighteen, their parents couldn’t…

[tlai-blog]

Taking the kids to feed the homeless on skidrow. 😊#mondaynightmission #service

[marcclark]

#MondayNightMission #givingissexy #skidrow #inspiration #blessed #lovelife

[leonfresa]

More than 500 people won't be hungry or cold tonight 🙏 #MondayNightMission (at Skid Row)

[mrpeabody8686]

#yesonh #laoncloud9 #mondaynightmission #oscars

[aztecprincess]

Mike made this for me :) thanks you are amazing! #mondaynightmission

[laoncloud9]

In the spirit of the Memorial Day holiday, a time to honor America's fallen heroes who served our country, LA on Cloud 9 joined forces with the Vet Hunters to serve hot meals to our homeless vets and homeless community. We distributed hundreds of blessing bags filled with Sandwiches, drinks, snacks, etc. It was a special experience for our volunteers to be able to spend Memorial Day weekend helping our Veterans in need, by providing basic necessities to those currently experiencing homelessness. From LA on Cloud 9, thank you to all those active, retired, and fallen members of the armed forces who serve and/or have served selflessly, and have given their all for our wonderful county. You are a part of what makes our country so great! Join us next Sunday for another Street Team Soldiers event! Save the Date- August 14, 2nd Annual Gala at Luminaria's Restaurant, Monterey Park. #VetHunters #thevethuntersproject #LAonCloud9 #lac9 #MondayNightMission

[nagchampanchucks]

Let me first say that I love, respect and admire the volunteers of @mondaynightmission #Mondaynightmission for being consistent and steadfast in their commitment to being on #SkidRow to serve no matter the conditions, every week night.... Let me repeat that, every week night. Thank you amazing people all of you. But let me focus on the people who I wish to highlight and send love to. Our brothers, our sister's our homeless friends. Yes we went out in the hard rain for an hour and change but we get to go home. Yes we were soaked but we get to go home, change our clothes, take a warm shower sleep in a warm bed and rest, the people that live their don't. This is a glimpse of the conditions human beings, people, friends of family are struggling with, fighting against, braving and living in. And you know what, as quickly as we cast them off as derelict, untouchable, forgotten and or bad people... They show love. They share their thanks for us being there, they offer us a piece of aluminum to cover our heads as we are there to serve them. They send blessing to us and ask if we are ok, they watch out for us and try to guard us as we walk back to out cars... Not every homeless person is bad or a drug addict or deserves or is willingly choosing to live on the street. Don't treat them all the same. Inform yourself and help others, don't just count your blessings, share them... A blessing by definition even outside of religion is a special act of favor, protection or mercy... If you are counting your blessings it means you were given mercy by someone or a favor for which you are thankful for. Pass that on to someone else who really needs that. How? Give, volunteer, make a sandwich, carry water or a sweater or a hat you don't wear in your car and give it to someone who needs it. There's so many simple things just please do something. Thank you!!! Focus on hope!!!! (at Skid Row, Los Angeles)

[rantsofanocdgirl]

Involuntary Hospitalization

                                   Coercive treatment is a touchy subject. There are advocates who say forcing someone against their will takes away their civil liberties. It's true that prior to the curtailment of involuntary hospitalization, the power was abused. But has curtailment gone too far? People such as Elliot Rodger and Adam Lanza had signs that they were ill, but because they were over eighteen, their parents couldn't forced them to get treatment. Under the eyes of the U.S. law, once someone becomes an adult, they are assumed to be able make decisions for themselves. 

       According to an article dedicated to outpatient treatment in the March 2001 Psychiatric Services Journal, authors E. Fuller Torrey and Mary Zdanowicz say that the current mental healthcare system in place cannot appropriately care for severely mentally ill patients. They write that many patients who have Schizophrenia and Bipolar are cognitively impaired and lack the ability to make decisions for their treatment.

                           This makes me think of the homeless people that I saw on Skid Row when I volunteered for the Monday Night Mission. The people who are the most fragile are people who aren't even cognizant of their situation. How do you help a severely mentally ill homeless person who is paranoid and scared of receiving help?  They aren't going to go treatment on their own. There are stories where people landed in skid row or other places similar to it because they had a fugue and wandered away.

       Mental health treatment in the United States is reactive rather than proactive. It's understandable because mental illness is fickle and can be a result of many factors. For example, majority of people who are diagnosed with Schizophrenia are already at the full blown stage, and its difficult to treat. Other instances are when people go on mass rampages towards others. It's easy to look back and say the signs were there, but the action is done. People are dead or injured as a result that someone refused treatment or couldn't receive treatment in time. 

                       It's frustrating to hear when I have friends who had family members commit suicide. The signs were there that the members needed help, but because the members were adults, they couldn't force them to get help. The result was death. 

                           Another thing that saddens me is when family members are affected by a loved one's drug addiction. He or she needs help, but the family isn't able to force them to go to treatment because their an adult. The only way coercive treatment will happen is when the drug addicted person becomes a harm to themselves or to society. When people reach that point, it can sometimes be too late. 

                          I understand that involuntary hospitalization is a multifaceted and complex topic. No one wants to be hospitalized against their ill. It's humiliating. But if its in the best interest for the person, then its warranted.