It’s been a busy month at Project Ropa as we continue to serve the growing unhoused population in Los Angeles. According to a report by Economic Roundtable, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County is expected to increase by 86% over the next two years to over 122,000 unhoused individuals.
Our Monthly Impact
This month through our direct services in Brentwood, Echo Park, DTLA and Hollywood and our impactful community partnerships, we served 3,000 unhoused individuals and families.
We distributed:
- 7,000+ clothing items
- 800 face masks
- 800 hygiene kits
- 600 pairs of shoes
- 500 gallons of water
We have also saved 4,000+ pounds of textiles from ending up in landfills.
Volunteer of the Month
James started volunteering with Project Ropa last fall after moving back home to Los Angeles during the pandemic. He is currently a senior at NYU.
Over the past months he has volunteered at our warehouse helping to sort clothes and create hygiene kits. He has also frequently assisted us with distributing hygiene essentials to unhoused veterans at our bi-weekly street outreach service near the West Los Angeles VA. Last week he moved back to the east coast to finish college at NYU.
“Hi, my name is James and I have grown up in Los Angeles and have lived here on and off for the past twenty-two years. I’m a rising senior at NYU studying Media and Culture, and in my free time, I like to do photography, surf, breakdance, and karate.”
What made you want to volunteer?
“The reason I wanted to volunteer is that I’ve noticed in the last few years that the inequality in the Los Angeles area has grown so immense and has been normalized among the people who live here.
Last year, I remember reading a quote by Mazu Daoyi, a Buddhist during the Tang dynasty who stated “hell wasn’t the trouble he saw all around him; hell was turning away from it, trying to escape into a separate peace.”
This awoke a feeling of responsibility inside me where I wanted to ease the unseen suffering during this period of time. During Covid-19, I think a lot of people definitely want to help in some way but they don’t know how, which can add to our fabric of collective isolation.”
What do you enjoy most about volunteering?
“What I enjoy the most about volunteering with Project Ropa is that there’s this community aspect to it and a level of satisfaction you feel from giving out clothing and hygiene kits to those in need.
My favorite activity is distributing resources at Veterans Row because it gives me a personal connection to the homeless veterans living at the edge of Brentwood. I’m glad Project Ropa exists in Los Angeles because it restores a level of purpose to those who volunteer their time with the organization.”
Thank you James for all your hard work and support!
Photo of Project Ropa’s volunteers at Veterans Row earlier this month. From left to right: Gianna, Michele, James, Sandra and Sara.
OUR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Community Clothing Bank
People who are homeless, especially the chronically homeless (76% of LA’s homeless population), face significant barriers to finding and keeping clothing that fits and meets their needs.
They often wind up wearing dirty and wet clothes for long stretches of time out of necessity, making them vulnerable to the spread of transmissible diseases.
Many small and medium-sized organizations serving the unhoused simply don’t have the bandwidth to source, sort and store clothes. As a result, clothing is either not provided at all or is inadequate in the selection and manner in which it is provided.
That’s where we come in.
Project Ropa currently provides clothing and shoes to a dozen community partners on a monthly basis, extending our reach to unhoused and low-income individuals and families in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Our goal by the end of this year is to triple our impact, becoming the primary clothing resource for 36 local organizations.
We need your help to reach our goal.
Every dollar makes a difference!
DONATE NOW
When one person doesn’t have access to proper hygiene, the entire community is at risk.
Help us continue to restore dignity and empower the lives of people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles by providing clean clothes, personal hygiene kits and water. And know that by doing so, you’ll also be helping the environment by reducing the volume of clothing and other textile materials that end up in landfills.
Interested in Becoming a Board Member?
We are actively looking to diversify our board and are seeking individuals who are passionate about helping the unhoused and environment. If you are interested in becoming a Project Ropa board member please complete our short questionnaire.
