Compassion in Action
Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete joins the West Coast Care (WCC) outreach specialist Ryan Dion, Jenna Hooks, Evelyn Marron, and Josh Hooks for a rainy-day ride-a-long last Friday on the beach.
WCC’s program has offered life-altering solutions to people experiencing homelessness in Santa Monica since 2006. Mayor Negrete says, “WCC is a leader in finding ways to reduce homelessness compassionately. They’re one of the top programs in Santa Monica. They have a deep understanding of the issues and answers for solving homelessness.”
In 2024, 149 people were housed through WCC’s family reunification program and traveled home to places all across America. 1,336 people were helped through WCC’s partnerships with local and regional Homeless Service Providers to enter into housing, treatment, employment, and other comprehensive services, programs, and supports.
Most people don’t realize how dangerous it is to live out in the open. Words like ‘unsafe’ don’t even begin to illustrate what goes on out there. According to stats published by the Los Angeles County Health Dept. and the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), there’s a 1 in 30 chance that you’ll die if you’re experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County for one year. The odds of being hurt or harmed are much higher. It’s like living in a war zone.
We’re determined to help as many as we can as quickly as possible. We’re thankful for the privilege of being on the beach. It’s the first place that many who are homeless go to when they first arrive in the area. It’s crucial to have an abundance of life-changing choices and options available to keep someone from becoming chronically homeless in Santa Monica.
One of the best things we hear from someone we’ve helped is, “Thank you! You saved my life!” But the real ‘Thank-you!’ goes to those who helped us and believe in our work. They’re Lifesavers too. They’re the catalysts that give us the resources to rescue someone from one of the worst kinds of poverty, homelessness.
By Ron Hooks
westcoastcare.org
