Very clean and positive environment. Women and Family stay very secure. It is a learning process,…read moreto better individuals.

This organization has two cruel women that they need to seriously consider firing. The first is…read moreElvia Valdes, who is the director at the main campus. Elvia dismissed me from the brand new building, Hawkes House after me being there only two weeks. I was there for a crisis bed and that gave me up to 90 days. I then left and moved in with McKinley Travis, Jr. who lives in Hollywood, California. He and his family have close ties with Elvia, and Lois and Denise Callahan, all staff members of Catholic Charities Good Shepherd. Travis became abusive so I had to call my housing navigator, with LAHSA who called Elvia and convinced her to let me move back to Good Shepherd. Elvia had me move to the older building on 267 N. Belmont Ave. It was a dirty house, and the women didn't clean the bathroom. There was trash all around the house and street too. Elvia thought she was punishing me by putting a mentally ill woman in a room with me who didn't bathe. The smell was so bad I had to consult the health department. I complained to Denise Callahan, who is the director of programs at the Languille House where I went. I complained daily about the woman. I even told Malcolm Crawford, my housing navigator for LAHSA, he said if I didn't get moved out of there I would become ill. A nice staff member named Lisa stepped in and moved me from that room into another one. She said it was the right thing to do. Staff at Catholic Charities reprimanded Lisa and gave her a write up for doing that. Elvia Valdes is on video tape stealing gifts and donations that come in for the clients. Denise Callahan has a special closet upstairs in Languille House that has brand new clothing that was donated for the clients yet she doesn't give them to the women. Denise keeps the clothing for herself. Many of the Black women at Good Shepherd are not getting use of their grants. They are being terminated from the program before their time is up. This organization needs to be audited for fraud.

What can I say other thank thank you, y'all helped me in so many ways back in my days from writing…read morea resume n helping change my bad habits. Happy n glad y'all are still going strong n helping the homeless youth n I hope they appreciate all you guys do for them in the long run

Here's a dirty secret about Hollywood: it ain't really all that glamorous…read more I mean, sure--there are the premieres and the clubs. Some overpriced restaurants. But behind all of the glitzy glam, there's a lot more to see. A part of that is youth homelessness. There are 10,000 homeless youth living in Los Angeles. My Friend's Place helps about 1,800 of them per year; gives them food, a safe place to be during the day, educational opportunities, and case management. They're truly grassroots--100% privately funded, run by a dedicated group of folks, many of whom have been there for many, many years. It's one of those hidden-gem organizations that more folks should know about. They do incredible work with limited resources. Check 'em out and get involved!

I love this place. There are many worthy charities in LA, but this one is by far my favorite. The…read morestaff are all very welcoming and friendly, the administration is dedicated, and they all share a passion for helping those in need. They have built a community of more than just great volunteers, but also of the ones they serve. They greet them by name, know their stories and treat them with dignity and respect day in and day out, even when no one is watching. If you're looking for a great place to be a part of, I highly recommend coming here. The joy is infectious and I always leave with a smile on my face.

***This a message for those intending to volunteer with the St. Francis Center (DTLA), it's lengthy…read morebut worth the read*** This is nothing but an advisory service for those considering to volunteer with DTLA St. Francis mission. I wish not to deter or negate the intentions of the entire organization based on the actions of a few. There are genuinely good people and purpose being performed within this organization. With that said, I was recently dismissed from being able to volunteer with this mission. You might be asking yourself, how does one possibly get fired from a volunteer position that they signed up for? In my instance, it had nothing to do with my work ethic, timeliness, or understanding of the tasks at hand. (We were distributing food and clothing to the locals in need, absolutely not a complex concept whatsoever.) However, during my short stint volunteering with St. Francis I realized quickly that the management was somewhat dismissive of new volunteers which was masked as being overworked and overburdened. In most cases, running such a huge operation which can effect an entire communities functionality would be understandable. Unfortunately, I was personally met with this attitude and energy regularly. Despite that being the case, that didn't stop my enthusiasm or willingness to work diligently in order to positively impact the lives of those in need. I chose St. Francis for a reason, regardless of the circumstances of the people they serve they do so with seemingly compassionate intent. Unfortunately for me, an ill-timed joke made an organization possibly question the morality of their normalized "business" practices. Just days into my experience, I made a comment about some of the employees picking out donated items for their own personal use. In this realm of work, I'm completely aware that this is a common (and unspoken) practice amongst a plethora of donation organizations. It's shitty and in bad taste but it happens. Personally, it's not a big deal to me, it doesn't effect my well-being or sleep at night. My comments (which were in pure joking spirit and I thought were harmless) must have been overheard because I was approached by the director of the volunteer department. I was told by this person that the employees at the mission were allowed first dibs at the clothing, apparel, and miscellaneous items donated to the organization, to which I replied simply "I don't care." Said leader responded, "It sounded like you did, it would be better you not say anything at all." Shameless, nasty, rude. I completed my responsibilities, helped clean the areas I was assigned to and continued about my day proud of my participation with St. Francis Center. Sadly, later that afternoon I received an email claiming that I was 'not a good fit' at the mission and that I would no longer be allowed to volunteer with the organization. Initially confused and somewhat disappointed, I went on to laugh and laugh about the ridiculous circumstances bestowed upon me. The dismissal of my services from St. Francis Center won't hinder me from helping this particular part of town or community. (Mind you, there are a multitude of other organizations in the same area that do similar work and are seemingly more inviting, it can all be considered subjectively.) Regardless of my personal experience St. Francis' mission is genuine. Just be aware that those in positions of power in regards to their volunteer department may have some tyrannical and not so pleasant traits that rear their ugly heads from time to time. Do the work for yourself if you choose to volunteer here, in the end, righteousness will always prevail. God bless.

Omg meet me tell you how great this food was! They had the freshest box I have ever had in my life…read more Oh the amount of food I got fed my family for weeks . Thank you so much. I didn't snap a picture but I can say it was an amazing experience. The service was exceptional and the value of the goods were beyond bomb.

Ms Ann is amazing, she has provided services to myself, and my family for over 2yrs now. The food…read moreis great and healthy and the location provides an ambience of peace!!! Weather it's visiting the garden area or just having a bite to eat!!! You will feel like you're on a trip for a day!!! May God continue to bless the vision and purpose of Ms Ann and Project 43. The marathon continues...... @juicyteas424.

I definitely believe they are doing very good and much needed work here…read more I came here to donate two large bags of clothes. I wanted to ensure the clothes would get to someone who needed them as a lot of other places either sell the clothes or they get thrown out. I had not realized looking at the address I would be going to the skid row area, but that is indeed where people are in need. I was caught a little off guard by the severity of the unfortunate surrounding the building and gathering around the front desk inside. However, I was immensely impressed with how the employees handled each and every person. With patience and kindness, even laughs where appropriate. This center is truly doing the Lord's work. The process for donating was very easy, and based on what I witnessed during my short wait, ladies who could use the items would definitely get them. Now, due to disability I am a non driver and use Uber. I Ubered here with no issues, however Ubering back was challenging as the first two Ubers apparently rolled up and before I could make my way down the walkway (meaning the driver didn't see me straight away) they took off without waiting the required two minutes. I can only assume because there are quite a few mentally ill and homeless hanging around the building. Uber's problem, not the center's and it was handled with them. Just wanted to throw that out there for anyone else that may use ride services to come donate here. Overall, I definitely appreciate the hard work this center is doing and will continue to donate here be it clothing, food or financially in the future.

I think that somebody needs to look into this organization seriously I would not volunteer there…read moreagain the kitchen staff was terrible to these women the actual I would say educated staff members who work at the front desk were not only disheartening and rude to these women with severe trauma but just the greed that I saw with donations and attitudes and the dignity people I'm deserve this year will not be volunteering over there there are many more organizations that deserve more time and More Love not a positive place for women it really felt more institutionalized

Wouldn't "not recommend" but at this time I could not recommend…read more Some Staff members filled there jobs well, others not so much. Thank You.

This place is doing a good job. Most of the staff seem to care and take time to make sure we are…read moreok. Security makes me feel safe and having nurses and my medication on site helps. The food is good and I like movie night.

They have a problem with being selective. my sock went missing, and the security guy got upset over…read moreone thing and then began to pick on me over anything

Better Services preying on vulnerabilities and livelihoods of people who are already suffering and…read moresearching for stronger solutions and services in speedy recovery

My daughter Ariel did a year at the Dream Center after struggling for years with depression and…read moreself-medication (heroin) after losing a boyfriend in high school. She graduated in 2015, and at that time I gave a 5-star review because I noticed big positive changes in her. I thought it would be nice to give an update since it has been close to 7 years since she graduated. Prior to the Dream Center, it was difficult for me to be around her because she had so much anger and she just wanted to argue with me about anything and everything. Since the Dream Center, she has been a pleasure to be around and not once in 7 years have we argued, or had even so much as a disagreement of words. She lived with me for the first year after the Dream Center. She was quick to find a job and began chasing her dream of becoming a dog groomer. She was 24 at this time, and prior to this, had never had a job but once for a couple of months. She began dating a boy from our church (who also attended the Dream Center - yes this is how they met) and 6 months later they were engaged, and 6 months after that married. I was concerned when she got married and moved into an apartment for the first time. I figured they would be coming to me asking for money to help them with the rent. But in 7 years they haven't asked me for a cent. A couple years later, they she said they were looking to buy a house. Honestly, I thought it was a pipe dream of theirs because they didn't' have good credit (bad from previous life). But God worked miracles and they bought a house only 10 minutes from where I live. Again, a couple years later, they announced they were going to open a mobile dog grooming business. Again, I didn't' think they could do it because the truck was over $100K. I suggested they consider a store because it would be a smaller investment for them to start up. But God had other plans, and they opened their mobile dog grooming business on February 14, 2020. Yes, February 2020. A month before the Covid shutdowns in California. But once again, God had a plan for them, it was mobile grooming because when all the brick and mortars closed, they were able to operate and within two months they were turning away business. It was also about this time that they announced they were having a baby, and on October 25, 2021 Camille was born. During these 7 years, Ariel and her husband have been very involved in the church they attend, and serve regularly on the worship team (Ariel lighting and her husband on the drums). They also regularly attend Celebrate Recovery which is a wonderful program for anyone struggling with hurts, hang-ups and habits. The Dream Center turned my daughter's life around. It changed her, for the better. She jokes occasionally and says she was brainwashed at the Dream Center. It wasn't easy for her, lots rules and structure. She had to sacrifice a lot of what she thought was important to her. But she doesn't regret it and has a lot of fond memories of the friendships that she formed while there. I highly recommend the Dream Center to anyone who is struggling in life. There is no denying the miracles that God did and continues to work in my daughter's life. Without the Dream Center, Ariel would have never understood how to have a relationship with Jesus, and have faith in God, and hope again. She didn't see a future before the Dream Center. But when she left, she saw all the possibilities and she went after them. I am excited to see where God leads her life next. I know there is more greatness to come. Thank you Dream Center for turning around my daughter life.

Came here in the late 90, s. And I am glad I left. Was never homeless never strung out on drugs or…read morefresh out of prison just a kid looking for encouragement and to be ministered to but was treated like homeless strung out felon . Program was weird, take everything from you and trust you with contemp every second. The guy that ran the place was a bully treated people like crap. Had stuff stolen from me from the drug addicts they had there . I was told it was a good program from a pastor that was the old pastor of the church I went to back then. It was more of a halfway house than anything . My experience was less than inspirational. Hope it's changed but the reviews I've read looks like it's the same.