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Tough Talk 1
WSHO President Loren Franck Tackles Seven Hard Questions About Homelessness
Interview Conducted by Rosemary Campos
Like politics and religion, homelessness can be a touchy subject. It unites and divides, elicits praise and evokes criticism.
Loren Franck, president and CEO of West Side Homeless Outreach, encounters that dichotomy frequently. Through wshola.org and personal contact, he knows that when you help homeless people, you’re supported or opposed, loved or hated. There’s no middle ground.
Throughout the following interview, we present a level of West Side Homeless Outreach that’s deeper than our home-page and FAQ content. You might feel uncomfortable with what you’re about to read. You might disagree with what’s written. Then again, amid all the marketing and fundraising in the name of charity, Mr. Franck’s responses might offer a breath of fresh air.
Rosemary Campos: West Side Homeless Outreach began as an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) charity in late ’08, just as the current economic recession was exploding? Why did you launch at that time?
Loren Franck: If West Side Homeless Outreach were a for-profit corporation, we probably would’ve waited until the economic recession eased. But the current financial downturn is a major reason we established WSHO. We are a nonprofit corporation. And because many people have been losing their jobs and homes, the need for our services is undeniable. Our corporate officers strongly believe we should be part of the solution. To borrow a saying from the Civil Rights Movement, help for the homeless delayed is help for the homeless denied.
You’ve said elsewhere that WSHO’s greatest need is money. What about people who want to help the homeless using their hands, not their pocketbooks?
It’s commendable to offer time and effort in behalf of those struggling to survive on the streets. But many homeless-helping organizations, including West Side Homeless Outreach, have ample volunteers. In fact, WSHO has a waiting list of people to pass out food, sort clothing and to stuff envelopes. Our true need is funding. Financial donations accomplish two important tasks for West Side Homeless Outreach. First, as with all 501(c)(3) charities, monetary contributions pay for goods we provide. These include food, clothing, bedding, personal-hygiene items and other necessities. Second, financial support pays WSHO’s bills. Like any corporation, we have ongoing operating expenses. They’re minimal but continuous.
West Side Homeless Outreach advocates relentlessly for homeless people living in west Los Angeles County—and for homeless people elsewhere. What would you like to tell those who oppose your efforts?
I don’t take antagonism to our efforts personally. I believe homelessness is one of the least understood aspects of American society. Almost a decade into the 21st century, many throughout the United States still suffer from the “bum” mentality. According to this view, all homeless people are menaces and deserve their hardships. Unfortunately, this viewpoint blames the victims. Except for the severely unstable, homeless people would rather not live on the streets where they’re cold, hungry, tired and dirt poor. Aggression toward dispossessed men, women and children only damages their lives further.
When trying to help the homeless, what are people doing right? And what are they doing wrong?
Throughout the years, our staff has learned important dos and don’ts about helping homeless people. (And trust me, we’re still learning.) We apply these at West Side Homeless Outreach. So, when you ask what’s done effectively and ineffectively, I see several things. I believe any humanitarian effort, such as helping homeless people, is a blend of art and science. There are no absolute formulas for success. But I also believe you must possess at least two fundamentals to help homeless people effectively: 1) compassion, and 2) willingness to do what’s necessary. You won’t help homeless people effectively unless you truly empathize with them. Likewise, you must be willing to do what homeless people need, not what you feel like offering. You might want to pass out bric-a-brac to homeless people on Christmas Day, but your time might be better spent distributing warm socks and clean underwear. Get the difference? Give what they need, not what you want.
Some large homeless-helping organizations have been criticized for receiving millions of dollars annually but not helping homeless people adequately. Your comments?
West Side Homeless Outreach differs somewhat from the various large missions, shelters and community centers. They’re walk-in facilities; we’re a mobile agency, an ongoing adaptable task force. They employ large competitively paid staffs; we have no employees, just our volunteers and corporate officers. They have large over-heads; our operating expenses are minimal. Alongside West Side Homeless Outreach, these organizations are doing their best, so I don’t criticize how they operate and spend their money. That’s not my business. I focus on how West Side Homeless Outreach can best implement the financial support it receives to help the homeless people we serve.
What discourages you most about helping the homeless?
The heartache. Most homeless people used to earn incomes. They had homes, hope and purpose. But an event, perhaps a series of events, forced them to live on the streets. Maybe that event was a divorce, a lost job, a bad investment or a personal crisis such as alcoholism, drug abuse or mental illness. Or it could have been a combination of these. Consequently, these men and women were left with nothing, not even their dignity. Homelessness can devastate people. Heartache also affects those who help homeless people one-on-one and face-to-face because we feel their pain. That heartache eases, though, when we remember we’re helping. There might be 75,000 homeless people throughout L.A. County, but after a feeding, clothing and sleeping bag distribution to 100 people, we know we’ve helped 100 people.
Will homelessness ever end? What about in west Los Angeles County where West Side Homeless Outreach serves?
Possibly . . . if monumental changes occur. Nationwide, we must adjust our way of life so people aren’t cast onto the streets. Nobody should be without basic food, clothing and shelter. There has to be a safety net for the homeless who are helpless and hopeless. We could energize individuals, families and corporations throughout America to meet homeless people’s foundational needs. That means giving substantially more to charities such as West Side Homeless Outreach and other agencies that could eliminate homelessness if provided with adequate resources. That’s a big “if,” though, because most 501(c)(3) charities are suffering financially because of the recession. On one hand, because of the downturned economy, the need for homeless services is burgeoning. On the other hand, money is tight for most people, so financial donations have decreased. Even during recessions, however, there are many easy ways to contribute; for example, sending West Side Homeless Outreach the cost of one latte a week, or sending in the amount of one restaurant meal monthly. When helping the homeless, it pays to be creative.
Rosemary Campos is former executive director of West Side Homeless Outreach.
When the topic of homelessness arises, truth and error abound. What are the facts? And the fallacies? Our frequently updated blog shares little-known truths about homelessness everyone should know. Don’t miss it!
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The current recession has hit the homeless—and America’s charities —hard. So your financial support is West Side Homeless Outreach’s greatest need.
We use your donated dollars to buy food, clothing and other vital pro-visions, which we deliver to people living on the streets. Your financial support of West Side Homeless Outreach is completely tax deductible.
Please click on donate; or mail checks and money orders to West Side Home-less Outreach, Inc., PO Box 5761, Playa del Rey, CA 90296-5761.
Thank you for your support.
THREE THOUGHTS
If you want to help the homeless, we urge you to:
1. Make www.wshola.org your home page.
2. Tell at least three friends or coworkers about WSHO.
3. Set aside a mere $5 a week and donate it to WSHO.
YOUR COMMENTS?
If something’s on your mind regarding homelessness, contact us today.
DID YOU KNOW?
Little things can make big differences to homeless people. For example, a smile and greeting can make a homeless person’s day. Likewise, a simple, bal-anced meal can seem like a feast to someone living on the streets.
HOW TO HELP
©2012 West Side Homeless Outreach, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Loren Franck, president and executive director of West Side Homeless Outreach.
