Better Angels

The simple truth is, we need you. Our community needs you. There's no reason to keep waiting for help that may never come. While the most recent homeless count shows slight improvement, many still need our support. Better Angels was created to be the solution LA County needs—not by claiming to have all the answers, but by recognizing that we can't do it alone. Join us in making the difference only we can make, together. Let's step up and be the change our community deserves.

The more I learn, the more I know how much I still need to learn and understand. Likely I learned about Socrates' take on this idea "I know that I know nothing" during a philosophy class. And in the world of mass information, research and learning are a few clicks or a quick direct message away. Gaining information, delivered by a knowledgeable friend can also be an effective learning method. As I work now with Better Angels to turn our heart-breaking situation of thousands of unsheltered neighbors into our past, I hold many conversations that begin with questions. The volume of media and seeing shocking local scenes generate questions about the causes of homelessness, quickly followed by discussions about the shortage of affordable housing, hopes for accessible mental healthcare, and (often personal) stories of struggling to help a friend or family member access substance abuse recovery and acknowledgment of supporting vulnerable family members. Another effective strategy we use is identifying an online source and checking there. Knowing the research is from a reliable source creates confidence. As part of Better Angels' mission to solve our local homelessness epidemic by harnessing the power of the entire LA community, our team created an online information resource about the homelessness issue. Today, I'm delighted to share HALO---Homeless Awareness and Learning Online---with you. HALO is a new tool to help everyone in our community understand more about the homelessness crisis and equip Angelenos with the information and resources to help everyone become part of the solution. I invite you to explore HALO and would love your feedback. https://lnkd.in/gAcTp3ZR

Have you ever thought about what you can do to help solve the homelessness crisis? LA's homelessness crisis isn't going to fix itself and each Angeleno is part of the solution. Each of us has skills that can help. The most important thing is to act. This is why we created Better Angels---to harness the power of the LA community to work together to solve the homelessness epidemic. We've created numerous ways to volunteer, contribute your time and your skills. Volunteering doesn’t always mean stepping out of your comfort zone to try something completely new. Often, it's about leveraging the skills you already excel at and applying them to make a meaningful impact in our community. It doesn't matter what your political views are. Homelessness impacts all of us, regardless of our party or position on various issues. Your unique abilities could be exactly what’s needed to drive real change. Please reach out to us if you are interested in becoming part of the Better Angels movement. We'd love to have you.

As cities begin to clear encampments following Governor Newsom’s recent decision, it is important to recognize that this is not a comprehensive solution to Los Angeles' homelessness crisis. Homelessness in LA is a complex, multifaceted issue that demands an approach sensitive to the unique circumstances of each individual and family in need of immediate support. We created Better Angels to solve LA’s homelessness epidemic through a holistic approach that includes: Prevention, Sanitation, Services, Shelter and Housing. https://lnkd.in/gPuvhwFa

Every Angeleno knows that homelessness is our number one issue. While Governor Newsom’s executive order might seem satisfying to some, the fact is that it fails to address the core issues that have caused the homelessness crisis to grow in the first place. Research shows that solutions like this don't reduce the overall number of unhoused people. This is exactly why we created Better Angels. Our mission is to solve LA’s homelessness epidemic by harnessing the power of the entire LA community. Executive fiats are not going to accomplish that. We need programs—at scale—that: 1) Prevent people from becoming unhoused in the first place 2) Provide temporary shelter to help people get off the streets 3) Create tens of thousands of affordable housing units to provide more permanent housing 4) Offer services and housing navigation support to those in need Become part of our movement and let’s solve this crisis together. https://lnkd.in/gCvwdrkb

Better Angels' Founder and CEO Adam Miller has written an important piece about the crisis of homelessness in Los Angeles and Better Angels' work to solve it by harnessing the power of the entire LA community. You can read Adam's piece here. Reach out to us to join the Better Angels movement.

There are two important news stories out today with a direct impact on homelessness in LA: - The 2024 Los Angeles County homeless count, released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, showed a 0.27% reduction in the overall number of people experiencing homelessness in LA County. - The U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, enabling cities to remove homeless encampments from the streets—even when shelter space is unavailable. We are grateful that the count has finally leveled off, after 7 straight years of significant increases, but much more work must be done to end the epidemic of homelessness in LA County. The efforts of the city, along with other private and public entities, have finally put us on a better trajectory, yet it is not enough. LA's homelessness crisis is still just that: a crisis. As Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman notes, the city continues to face “harsh fiscal realities” that will make additional reductions more difficult for the public sector to achieve over the long term. With the added pressures that the Supreme Court ruling will impose, homelessness will continue to demand a holistic, innovative, all-hands-on-deck approach to resolve. LA simply doesn't have the shelter capacity, housing, processes, or technology to get everyone off the streets. We created Better Angels to fix this. Our mission is to solve LA's homeless epidemic by harnessing the power of the LA community. As a result of today’s Supreme Court's decision, there is more urgency than ever for us to act. https://lnkd.in/giFkfqPy

With over 75,000 Angelenos unhoused, the challenges in Los Angeles are immense. At Better Angels’ Resource Days, we provide a safe and effective way for people experiencing homelessness to access multiple service providers, meeting basic needs and building long-term community connections. Here are three key highlights: Comprehensive Services: We offer assistance with benefits, healthcare (for both people and pets), addiction recovery, housing, and job training. ✍🏼 Basic Essentials: Our events provide meals, urgent care, showers, and clothing to those in need. 🍽️ Community and Support: We create a sense of belonging through music, art, and conversation. 🎨 In 2023, 308 volunteers served 2,306 neighbors across 28 service events throughout LA. Join us in making a difference!