Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Sato.
Hi Alex, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The Center in Hollywood, originally known as “Social Services at Blessed Sacrament,” has a longstanding history of addressing homelessness and poverty in Hollywood. The Center’s building originally served as a rectory for nuns, and at one point, it housed families fleeing violence from the Salvadoran Civil War. Today, it offers comprehensive services to unhoused individuals, including support with securing housing, healthcare, and community.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?During the pandemic, the social isolation felt by closures in the community was palpable and serious. Unhoused neighbors faced food and water insecurity that our organization had never seen before. In response, The Center began serving food directly on the sidewalks to ensure that individuals experiencing homelessness could still access meals despite the challenging circumstances. The outreach team shifted from a focus on case management to essentially becoming emergency service workers, checking on unhoused neighbors in encampments, making sure people were healthy, and testing for COVID.
The pandemic impacted everyone in our community, housed and unhoused, and we have still not fully recovered.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our mission is to end homelessness AND social isolation. Every day, approximately 100 people experiencing homelessness visit our building in Hollywood for a cup of hot coffee, to check/receive important mail, to connect to housing services, and for the joy of community — Everyone needs community to lean on, and we are passionate about ending isolation and being a social safety net for our most vulnerable neighbors. We also just opened a new permanent supportive housing building in MacArthur Park called Lake House. This building will be home to 62 formally unhoused folks and will have wrap-around services provided by The Center. Services include weekly case management and referrals to healthcare, mental healthcare, job support, and more, as needed. The Center will also be facilitating on-site groups, just like in Hollywood, including substance use recovery, cooking classes, town halls, and more.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
The Center has a small memorial garden on site. Through a staff-led effort (and the generous help of an architect who volunteered countless hours), a vacant area of the patio was transformed into a permanent space to memorialize Center community members who’ve passed away, many of who were pillars of our vibrant community, which extends from unhoused to housed folks (many of whom died without ceremony or the dignity that they deserved); participants to volunteers, vendors to financial contributors.
Also, we would like to share about our 2024 Hike to End Homelessness – Griffith Park on 4/28.
Attendees fundraise on behalf of The Center and hike to the observatory. It’s going to be a great time – There will be coffee from Obet & Del’s, pastries from Kettle Glazed Doughnuts & Clark St. Bakery, crafts, a silent auction with tons of great gifts, a breakfast burrito brunch after the hike, & more! This event is family-friendly and pup-friendly.
https://2024-center-hike.causevox.com/
Pricing:
- $75 – tickets for The Hike to End Homelessness
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecenterinhollywood.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centerinhollywood/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CenterInHollywood/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/6639102/
- Other: https://2024-center-hike.causevox.com/
