A Day at the "Hippie Kitchen"

The Hospitality Kitchen, located on the corner of "Skid Row" and known as the "Hippie Kitchen", serves meals to the homeless three days a week. The Kitchen is run by a movement called the Los Angeles Catholic Worker and has been in operation for more than 30 years. I spent a day volunteering at the Kitchen to see first hand how a non-profit is surviving in a struggling economy.

An Early Start

I arrived at the "Hippie Kitchen" at a quarter to seven and was immediately put to work watering plants in the garden. The garden is filled with tables where people can sit and eat, and provides a little beauty in an otherwise unattractive neighborhood. I arrived a little earlier than the other volunteers so when I was done watering plants I ate my  McDonalds breakfast I had picked up on my drive over.

There Can Never Be Too Much Lettuce

I was joined by about ten other volunteers on this Saturday morning, most of whom had volunteered at the kitchen at least once before. After gathering around in a circle and saying a prayer to start (or in my case watching others pray), the volunteers were split into groups to go to different stations. I was assigned to chop lettuce and cabbage along with about five other volunteers. I found out that chopping cabbage was much harder than chopping lettuce because you had to make the cabbage into tiny little pieces so that it wouldn't hurt anyone's teeth. 

A Few Tears Never Hurt Anyone

Except me that is! After chopping lettuce and cabbage for more than an hour I was re-assigned to chop up some pieces of turkey meat. Unfortunately for me, the turkey meat station was right next to the station where people were chopping onions, and I couldn't hold the tears back.

Washing Dishes Can Be Fun

Somehow I was able to survive the turkey meat/onions, and at around 9:30 a.m. we started serving what we had spent the past hour and a half preparing. However, there were only so many items that needed to be served, so I got stuck with dishwashing duty while the other volunteers got to serve and socialize. 

My Time Finally Arrived

After being stuck on dishwashing duty for what seemed like an eternity, I finally was given the chance to serve and interact with people of "Skid Row". I did not disappoint! I was given a pan filled with turkey stuffing that didn't really look anything like stuffing, and was told to dish it out, so I did, and as it turns out it was actually a pretty big hit (I could tell some of the other volunteers were getting a little jealous that everyone kept coming back to me for more stuffing). 

Cleanup Never Felt So Good

We stopped serving food at 11:30 am, though it felt as if it was already late in the day. All the volunteers helped to clean up the kitchen (I got to mop the floor) and we ended the day with a closing prayer. While the day was certainly eventful, I came away with a new appreciation for the folks who do this every week, because the thanks you get is limited, and a lot of effort goes in to making the kitchen run smoothly. I also left with a bit more confidence that there are enough people out there willing to donate their time even in this period of recession.

Click here to see my interview with Mike Wisniewski, Supervisor of the "Hippie Kitchen"

More Homeless, More Charity Needed

The economy is in turmoil, millions of Americans are losing their homes, and fewer people are willing to donate extra goods because only necessities are being bought. This scenario is creating quite a predicament for businesses that depend on charitable donations, especially with an increasing number of people who need their service. These businesses are non-profits, and the slowing economy is putting their survival in question.

Help During the Holiday Season

While the country may be in the midst of a recession, many non-profits are looking toward the holiday season as a time when donations will be plentiful and volunteers will be abundant. It is the spirit of giving that typically consumes many people during th holiday, and it is that spirit which food banks and soup kitchens alike are banking on. So, I took to the streets on Thanksgiving Day to see what the turnout and atmosphere would be like at one mission serving Thanksgiving dinner on "Skid Row".

Fred Jordan Mission has Food, Food, and More Food

I went to observe volunteers at the Fred Jordan Mission, located on Towne Avenue in downtown Los Angeles. Volunteers started arriving as early as 6 a.m. in order to set up for what was anticipated to be a huge event. I talked to a couple volunteers who had been helping at the mission every Thanksgiving Day for the past twenty years, and they gave me some helpful hints on how to be prepared to volunteer on this busy day:

• Arrive Early while parking spots are still available
• Make sure to eat during the course of the day
• Sit down when you can because your back will get sore
• Take a nap when the day is done

They were certainly right about parking spots, as I got to the mission around 8 a.m. and I had to park several blocks away. However, fewer parking spots available meant more volunteers were there to help, so I couldn't be too upset about having to walk a few blocks.

Volunteers by the Hundreds

The Mission was certainly not lacking for volunteers on this day, as some were even turned away and told that all the jobs were filled. I guess even in this time of recession the holidays still bring out the giving spirit in everyone. Food was also plentiful and there was an abundance of goods provided by Footlocker to be given away. 

Lets Get this Party Started

It certainly seemed like a party once the guests of honor were allowed into the gates blocking off the few blocks where the feast was being held. Food began to be dished out around 10:30 a.m., with musicians singing on stage to add to the joyful atmosphere. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa even stopped by for a quick bite to eat.

What Happens When the Party Stops?

While the event was great and festive, and I'm sure brought joy to the hearts of many for at least a couple of hours, what struck me most was watching the homeless return to the streets once they were done eating. Many walked off about half a block away and then just plopped down and went back to their normal routine of doing whatever it is they do all day. It made me realize that the real test of what kind of effect the economy will have on the survival of non-profits wont take place until after the holiday season, because it's not about who is willing to give at a time when everyone else is, but rather who is willing to give when others are not and cannot.

Click on the video below for impressions on the Thanksgiving day festivities and the struggling economy from "skid row" residents and volunteers at the Fred Jordan Mission.

Click here for a slideshow of pictures from my Thanksgiving on "Skid Row"