Homelessness continues to be a major concern in Santa Monica and throughout Los Angeles as well as the rest of the nation.
What can be done to help the homeless? What are the factors that contribute to someone being out on the streets, and what are the best ways to get them working and a productive member of society?
In Santa Monica, there are many city initiatives and programs being put into place to help this dire situation. One such program is “Chrysalis,” a partner of Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. with the goal of reducing homelessness in downtown. Through Chrysalis Enterprises, participants in the program are able to build their resumes and re-establish themselves in the workforce.
“Our mission is to help homeless and low-income individuals on a path to become self-suffi- cient by helping them get a job and keep it,” said Michael Graff-Weisner, Vice President of Pro- grams and Government for Chrysalis. “Our program focuses on giving people the skills to work. We have classes on job searching and can assist them with their resume’ and interview skills.”
He emphasized that “many of the clients that we serve are not homeless.” Mostly, it’s for people looking to rebuild their lives…