Homelessness Initiative

In December 2006, Leo Baeck Temple made the decision to HEAL – HOMELESSNESS ENDS AT LEO BAECK TEMPLE.

Beginning with a Homelessness Conference in December 2006 attended by over 300 people and with Mayor Antonia Villaraigosa, LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and City Councilman Bill Rosendahl giving keynote addresses, LBT created the Homelessness Initiative Taskforce to put the crisis of homelessness in our city and our county at the forefront of our congregational community.

The Taskforce has adopted a multi-pronged approach that includes, advocacy, education, volunteerism and hands-on service.  LBT has joined the Westside Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness, a consortium of agencies and faith-based groups, whose goal is to make the Westside a more humane and responsible place to live.

If you would like to join HEAL, please contact committee chair, Scott Sale.

HOMELESSNESS TASKFORCE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

SOVA FOOD COLLECTION
In addition to our big High Holyday Food Drive for SOVA, we encourage members to bring non-perishable food items with them each time they come to the Temple … for services, for a class or for a meeting.  Homelessness and hunger are an ongoing crisis in our city … we need to support the work of SOVA year-round.  Make bringing a non-perishable food item with you to temple a part of your LBT ritual!  Donated food items are collected in the SOVA drawers in the coat closet off the main lobby.

SUNDAY DINNERS @ PATH
Join other LBT families of all ages as we prepare monthly Sunday dinners at the West Los Angeles PATH Center at 2346 Cotner Avenue.  In operation since 1984, PATH (http://epath.org/) (People Assisting the Homeless) is a  transition facility that assists homeless people with re-entering society. They provide shelter, training, and other orientation and placement services.  Families who volunteer are asked to prepare a dinner (salad, main dish, side dish, dessert and drinks) to serve to the 36 residents of the facility.  In the past some volunteers have purchased prepared food at Costco or Smart and Final (adjacent to the PATH center), and others have prepared the food themselves (this can be done at home, at the LBT kitchen, or at PATH’s kitchen).

Typically, one to four families work together to prepare the monthly Sunday dinner.

If you would like to volunteer for Sunday Dinners @ PATH, please contact project coordinator, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .