Los Angeles Times Pressmens 20 Year Club: Faces of the Homeless

Monday, February 13, 2012

Faces of the Homeless - Skid Row Los Angeles

The term “Skid Row” derives from Seattle. Washington, where “skid roads” were the places that loggers slid their cut timber to the ports for shipment. By the 1930’s the term referred to the rundown areas of cities, characterized by bars, brothels and the like originally attracted by loggers, and began to include the presence of homeless and other extremely low income populations.

The “Skid Row” of Los Angeles is a portion of the area in downtown Los Angeles east of the Financial District and the Historic Downtown Center, partially overlaying the core of the downtown Industrial District. It is generally referred to by the City as part of the “Central City East” area, a fifty-block sector of downtown bounded by Main Street, Third Street, Alameda Street and Seventh Street, although Skid Row’s boundaries are actually somewhat fluid.

The Sammy Maloof Racing Team has been on Skid Row Los Angeles for over two years feeding the homeless, and asking for nothing in return. Three weeks ago we began asking for donations, with the sign on the water bottle "Homeless feeding the homeless", some complain with many others donating what they can.

After feeding the homeless last night we caravaned to San Julian, between 5th and 7th Streets, where the sidewalks are wall to wall tents and homeless, and the streets are carpeted with trash. Very intimidating to say the least.

Luckily the truck has a lift gate, which was positioned at it's highest level, as the masses of homeless converged upon the truck as Sammy and Janeen gave out blankets and clothes.

I captured many photographs to give you a fee for the need on Flickr.

Donations to "Winning at the Race of Life" can be mailed to:
P.O. Box 848
Sierra Madre CA 91025-0848

Or contact Janeen
(626) 292-2258
janeen@sammymaloof.com

Sammy and Jennifer Maloof