Press Release (November 3, 2004)



THANKSGIVING MEAL FOR THE HOMELESS AT 
ST. MARY'S CENTER OF CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF LOS ANGELES

Every year, the staff and volunteers at Catholic Charities' St. Mary’s Community Center in Los Angeles cook and serve a Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless on Monday prior to the actual Thanksgiving day. This year's festive meal will take place on November 22, 2004. The guests are 500 homeless people who usually rely on services of the Center’s food pantry and the brown bag lunch program.

This Thanksgiving program is one of many special holiday celebrations offered by Catholic Charities of Los Angeles to people who have no family, or home for the holidays - homeless individuals and families who receive help at the agency’s emergency shelters and food pantries. Another Thanksgiving meal for the homeless will be served at St. Catherine's Center on Tuesday, November 23, 2004. Both meals begin at 11 a.m. In addition, St. Mary's Center distributes turkeys to families on November 18, 19, and 23.

The Thanksgiving meal at St. Mary's Center is one example of Catholic Charities' staff and volunteers working together to provide help and create hope in the lives of the homeless. The Center, established in 1992, served over 57,000 people in fiscal year 2003-2004. In addition to satisfying clients’ basic needs for emergency food and clothing, the Center provided case management, mental health services, motel vouchers, utility assistance, and referrals for vocational training. Health care services, such as blood pressure screenings, are provided in collaboration with QueensCare Clinics and Catholic Healthcare West.

Established in 1919, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles has served millions of people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, gender or religious belief. During the past fiscal year (July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004), in more than 50 offices and community centers, the agency provided over 1,286,000 services to approximately 242,000 different individuals. People in need come to Catholic Charities for emergency food and shelter, low-cost before-and-after-school childcare, immigration and refugee assistance, psychological services, computer and jobs skills training, and other supportive services. Poverty doesn't discriminate. How could Catholic Charities?


For more information about St. Mary’s Center and its Thanksgiving dinner, call Jackie Lazarus Warren, Director, Our Lady of the Angels Region - Metro Area, at 323-662-1462; or Irene Hill, Program Coordinator at St. Mary's Center, at 323-662-4391. The Center is located on 4665 Willow Brook Avenue in Los Angeles, CA 90029.