Every day for three years, Gale Hubbard woke up on the hard concrete steps of a Westwood building Âwith two things on her mind ““ food and shelter.
Getting up from her makeshift bed, the 52-year-old woman would begin her day searching for spare change, something to eat and a place to use the bathroom.
After following the routine for many years, she knew exactly where to go and who would let her in.
This all changed about two weeks ago, when Hubbard found a temporary home in the facilities of People Assisting the Homeless, an organization dedicated to helping homeless individuals secure housing and employment.
The organization, which began operations in Westwood in February, provides homeless individuals with free meals, showers, clothing and a place to sleep until they are back on their feet, said Tomasz Babiszkiewicz, director of the street outreach section of People Assisting the Homeless.
The organization also tries to give homeless individuals the skills and materials needed to acquire a job, providing clothes for interviews as well, said Jeremy Sidell, chief development and communications officer for the association.
Los Angeles County funds approximately 70 percent of the program, Sidell said.
The Westwood Village Improvement Association, which oversees the homeless organization’s work and progress in the area, approached the organization last December after receiving several complaints from local business owners, Sidell said.
“(Homelessness is) an issue that directly affects business, and there’s not a lot of places to turn to for organizations with facilities like ours,” Sidell said.
The improvement association agreed to pay $45,000 ““ via a contract ““ in return for the services, which last through the end of 2013, said Andrew Thomas, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association.
Despite its resources, People Assisting the Homeless still faces many obstacles that come with servicing the homeless.
“Everyone’s situation is different, and you have people suffering from mental or physical illness, substance abuse, domestic violence or any combination of these conditions,” Sidell said.
Domestic issues with Hubbard’s husband forced her to relocate to a trailer years ago. After living with her cousin for a while, soon Hubbard had no one else to turn to. She found herself on the street.
The homeless organization’s outreach team directly approaches homeless individuals on the street and tries to build a relationship and trust with the person, Babiszkiewicz said.
“We give them snacks, brochures of our facilities, exchange contact information and initiate the conversation this way,” he said.
Workers from People Assisting the Homeless approached Hubbard multiple times to convince her to relocate. She said no twice, and finally agreed to move to a temporary home because she was tired of her old lifestyle, she said.
Homeless individuals typically become used to their lifestyles, which makes many of them wary of change, Sidell said.
“Living outdoors is really tough, you can get stabbed or shot, people might spit on you … you have to walk a lot just to find a bathroom, which gets you exhausted,” Hubbard said.
Once an individual agrees to be brought to the facility, he or she is required to speak with an employment specialist and make plans to secure a job or alternative source of income, such as social security checks or veteran’s benefits, Babiszkiewicz said.
Since February, People Assisting the Homeless representatives have communicated with about 45 individuals in Westwood, seven of who are currently housed in the facility, Sidell said.
Two people found permanent housing through the program, he said.
“It takes many weeks, even years, to get individuals off the streets,” Sidell said. “So we’re very pleased with the progress.”
When Hubbard first moved in, she wanted to focus on regaining her strength. Now she’s searching for a clerical job ““ using a resume an employment specialist helped her create ““ and permanent housing in hopes of leading a normal life.
If Hubbard secures a job, she will be required to save 80 percent of her income for future housing as part of the support program, Babiszkiewicz said.
The Westwood Village Improvement Association continues to be supportive of the organization’s efforts, Thomas said.
“To get people who have been living years on the same streets, sleeping under the same doorway, getting food from the same places, into housing and employment is huge,” Thomas said. “I think (People Assisting the Homeless is) amazing and I’m just really proud of their efforts.”