Apparently there are a lot of people in L.A. who have not yet received the benefit of the information published by Venice resident Mark Ryavec in a recent PATCH article - in which he stated that feeding the hungry results in increased crime and other problems for the community and does a disservice to the destitute (who are forced by their circumstances to use public sidewalks as their overnight sleeping quarters) by "empowering" them in what he perceives to be their desire to be indolent drains on society.
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For one thing, real criminals failed to get the message, and - according to recent LAPD reports - annoyingly INCREASED their crimes against people and property in Venice by over 1/3 (AFTER most of our unhoused had been ruthlessly and heartlessly run out of town by police and vigilante groups).
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For another, Venice's own local Whole Foods Market (Lincoln and Rose Ave.) continues to conduct a free weekly feeding of those in need on Sundays on Ocean Front Walk - as do several independent groups and individuals in irregular and unscheduled events throughout each week.
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And now a coterie of high-profile Los Angeles organizations including T.V. Channel 7 ABC, Vons, Southern California Regional Food Banks, ESPN LA 710 and others are partnering to feed Southern California's hungry, unhoused and needy during the month of July.
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You can visit their website and learn more about their activities, and how you can help, by going to : http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/feature?section=resources/lifestyle_community/community&id=8719966 .
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The aggregate of socially-conscious organizations points out that :
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"ONE OUT OF EVERY SIX PEOPLE IN SO CAL EXPERIENCES HUNGER, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER. CHILDREN, VETERANS AND THE ELDERLY HURT THE MOST".
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Nice to see that good people in our town are choosing to help those in need rather than hate them.
