Introduction: What We're Doing Here...

So it's got to start somewhere.

For some time now, we've been throwing around the idea of putting together a site that could act as a forum for our observations --- "our" being us, the L.A. Central City Community Outreach, who work every day on the streets of skid row, the largest single population of homeless families in the United States.

Often people don't get a chance to see what poverty actually "looks" like. What homelessness looks like. What families face while living on the streets.

As staff, we see unique situations every day. We hear stories, we see kids respond in interesting ways, and there's a real desire in us to let other people see what life is like here. So the purpose of this blog is to provide a slice of life, a snapshot as to what we experience, what families experience, what kids experience, even what we might see on the street. It's just a picture, a momentary glimpse.

We don't want to be political, or judgmental, or to say this is what we should or shouldn't do. That's not for us to decide on this site. Not here, at least. Not now. We want to show what is experienced and lived on a daily basis, and to reflect on how it FEELS to hear that story.

Because feeling is important. Exploring our responses, interpreting them, learning from them... it builds compassion. And that's everything where we come from. Raising the question, "How does this happen?" If we can drive other people to wonder, to think, to question, then there's hope for what we all might be able to accomplish in the future.


...oh, and before we go, we should also mention that we're just as excited to see how people will comment or respond in the talkback area below. Slice of life observations are one thing, but it's the responses that can give these stories true meaning. So please, by all means, comment on these posts. And don't feel limited. Politics, opinions... the talkbacks are a forum for free expression.