Away from the Cameras, a Different View of Mission's Shoe Giveaway
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
One day after the Fred Jordan Mission's shoe giveaway, an overflowing dumpster stands on the corner of 5th and Towne.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — On Thursday, the Fred Jordan Mission partnered with Foot Locker to give away thousands of pairs of shoes to needy children. It was a story that got heavy media attention, with news crews talking to families who spent the night on the streets to ensure their children got new shoes.
Just a block away on Friday, the attendees of a hastily-called meeting had a very different view of what had gone on. The scene outside the event was "pure chaos," said LAPD Captain Blake Chow. It was a "complete and utter disaster from many different perspectives," according to Central City East Association Executive Director Estela Lopez. Business owners expressed their anger at revenue lost when trucks and customers couldn't reach their front doors.
The line for the giveaway first appeared on Monday afternoon, nearly 72 hours before the event. Families were told to line up on Crocker street, south of 5th. They slept on cardboard boxes and a couple of mattresses brought out by the mission and dropped on the sidewalk. There were no restroom facilities, and children were seen urinating and defecating against buildings and in the gutter.
By Wednesday midday, that line had grown to 500 people. One port-a-john had been brought out, but Business Improvement District (BID) representatives say that it was quickly overrun by drug dealers and prostitutes. Children were playing in the street amongst trucks making deliveries.
That afternoon, those waiting were moved to the other side of 5th street. Afterward, BID staff removed two and a half trucks of garbage from Crocker street, including four mattresses.
The crowd continued to grow on Wednesday night. Chow was growing increasingly worried that a riot would ensue if there weren't enough giveaway goods to go around. He had been asking the mission to provide wristbands to those in line, but the bands didn't show up until Thursday morning.
By Thursday morning, LAPD had deployed 20 officers to the event. A mobile command post was set up at 4th and Crocker. The line had swelled to 6,000 - 7,000 individuals, most from East and South L.A., and the last of 3,000 wristbands were given away by 11am.
The street closures and packed sidewalks created a severe disruption for surrounding businesses. One business owner spoke of having a container from the port turned back after it was unable to reach his location. Another told of a neighboring business who had two customers from San Francisco turn around and leave without making it to the store, costing the company a sizable order. Mutual Trading Company, located on Crocker across from the Mission, said that it took its 30 delivery trucks twice their normal time to unload on Thursday morning.
For Lopez, the most troubling sight of the event was that of small children playing in Skid Row gutters known to harbor diseases including a potentially fatal methicillin-resistant strain of staph.
LAPD and Council District 9 will be meeting with the Mission next week to share their concerns about the event. Next year, this is going to have to be done differently," said Chow.
On Friday, the BID held a noon meeting for business owners to share their experiences. LAPD and Council District 9 attended. The Fred Jordan Mission was invited to attend, but did not.
The business owners present stressed that they weren't against helping those in need, but that the way the giveaway was handled was unacceptable. They shared ideas for alternate locations such as the Convention Center parking lots and offered suggestions for how to use the wristbands to allow people to show up only when they Mission is ready for them.
In the end, though, they took a cynical view toward how the Mission -- which many at the meeting said had long been a poor neighbor -- might take those ideas. "If they don't have 5,000 people," said one business owner, "they're not going to have those news cameras."
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Apalled on October 02, 2009, at 07:31PM – #1
Wow. What an absolute horror scene. I can't believe the things some humans will do for free shoes(??). Between this and the Laker game looters, it's utterly mind-boggling. Civilization in L.A. is in retrograde.
Ginny-Marie Case on October 02, 2009, at 10:43PM – #2
Indeed I'm sure - horrifying. Parents subjecting their children to the horrors of Skid Row! I can't help but wonder if Apalled (or was it supposed to be appalled?) knows that there are children in Skid Row every single day...free shoe give away or not.
Hats off to the CCEA and Capt Chow for quickly coming together to help prevent this kind of thing from happening again next year. If not, it is only a matter of time before something terrible happens at the giveaway events.
Don Garza on October 03, 2009, at 02:20AM – #3
It is good to see the LAPD and the CCEA and Council District 9 now taking my advice from many posts at my blog about this situation. When I mentioned this two years ago it was met with people claiming I hate kids. But in the end it is good to know that the CCEA and LAPD are finally stepping up to the plate on this issue. I have mentioned many times that the convention center would be a better idea . The majority of the children are bussed in from East Los Angeles and other areas of the city and are not from skid row. Last Year I was impressed at the Fred Jordan press releases stating it was an LA event and not just a skid row event.
Thank you Blake Chow, a father himself, for looking out for the children ...you are gods gift and an angel many folks in skid row were waiting on to tackle this issue head on. God bless the Fred Jordan for their efforts, but creating a photo opportunity in places other than skid row for these give a ways will not detract from them happening or a reduction in donations. THANK YOU BLAKE CHOW!!!! MEthicillin resistant staph kills healthy NFL football players, imagine the children?
Ron Senger on October 03, 2009, at 07:03PM – #4
Congratulations to Blake Chow for jumping into action so quickly this time. It's nice to know that he is looking out for the business community downtown. I hope that his response is just as quick when we have call the police on All Access Entertainment again next year.
Here is a thought. Let's use this opportunity to focus on how the permits for this event were issued. Shouldn't the intelligent people in charge of these permits be held accountable for how the event unfolds. Where was the oversight? This is Fiesta Broadway all over again...Maybe the people in Street Services have some suggestions.
Kannie on October 04, 2009, at 11:25AM – #5
Just looking at some of the truly filthy and squalid SRO buildings and other various nasty surfaces in general throughout Skid Row and the east side of downtown make me feel like I'll catch a disease, right through my eyeballs.
Although the Fred Jordan Mission has good intentions, the axiom does sometimes apply that the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
So true. on October 04, 2009, at 01:13PM – #6
Kannie, you are not the only one.
And good call on the good intentions ... true dat.
Howie on October 04, 2009, at 07:48PM – #7
"The line had swelled to 6,000 - 7,000 individuals, most from East and South L.A." I'm wondering where you received this data?
Matthew on October 05, 2009, at 07:36AM – #8
I'd like to second Howie's question: What is your source for the assertion that most of those in line were from "East and South L.A.?"
Were these figures provided by the police, the mission itself, or did the reporter actually walk along the line and ask each person where they were from? Or was it an assumption based on the perceived ethnic make-up of the crowd? That's not an accusation, but you can see how some readers might take the citing of that particular stat the wrong way...
I appreciate blogdowntown and many other alternative media for telling the stories that the mainstream media ignores, but if a major news outlet did have a story like the above, they'd know that such a potentially-controversial statistic a stat needs to be sourced, for both correctness and clarity.
Thanks
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on October 05, 2009, at 09:12AM – #9
Matthew: That's fair. The main point I was trying to convey is that most of the folks in line were not from the surrounding neighborhood. Those were the neighborhoods I heard most from those I talked to at the event, but I couldn't speak with authority on where exactly those in line for the giveaway came from (other than not from Skid Row).
Ravi on October 05, 2009, at 11:56AM – #10
Eric - great coverage on a grave story with multiple concerning issues. Your honesty paints the picture well.
I can't find the words to describe my feelings about the conditions of Skid Row, the people who live in the community called Skid Row, and the desparation for parents to bring their families to Skid Row for shoes. As Americans, it breaks my heart that we subject human beings to standards below the 3rd-World and poverty standards.
I live in Downtown and can relate to the comments about sidewalks in and out of Skid Row. Oh (sigh) - good intentions, indeed.
Matthew on October 05, 2009, at 12:05PM – #11
Thanks, Eric
mylord on October 05, 2009, at 06:06PM – #12
"good intentions" often bring bad outcomes.
they need to be doing this differently or else a riot is bound to happen. they should have a "volunteer day (or even one hour) for shoes" or something in the line to help downtown and get "free" shoes after the even. i bet that will cut 85 percent of the line.
Oh, the huge manatee. on October 05, 2009, at 06:46PM – #13
mylord - great idea.
Why NOT have people do something productive in exchange for the gift? I think he is correct that most would not bother under that condition. It's the something-for-nothing that draws the excessive crowds.
nanorich on October 05, 2009, at 08:06PM – #14
This giveaway was in its 21th year.
Instead of attacking people for poor and wanting shoes for their children before school starts, how about just being grateful you don't have to camp for three nights on skidrow during a recession so your kids can have shoes...
reacting to an out of context photo of an overflowing dumpster.
Are there not prisons? Are there not workhouses?
Obviously on October 05, 2009, at 11:11PM – #15
If it's been going for so long, then improvements are long past due because it is only encouraging the worst to happen. Be realistic; people should not be encouraged to get something for nothing these days. Even cleaning up after the fiasco would have made a contribution. If a person is healthy and upright, what is wrong with asking him to lift his own finger to help himself and his own? NOTHING.
General Jeff on October 06, 2009, at 12:17AM – #16
As a Skid Row resident, my perspective immediately has to give a much needed "thanks" to L.A.P.D.'s Central Division and Captain Chow for reacting quickly to an obviously under-organized event that could have gotten out-of-hand and resulted in harm being caused to many needy families that didn't foresee the many looming dangers. I witnessed their quick response first-hand.
Sure the Fred Jordan mission had good intentions, however the blatant disrespect and total disregard for the rest of the neighborhood makes me wonder about their "true purpose". I'm shocked that they would disrespect the nearby businesses the same as they often do the residents.( And for three days!!!!) WOW!
For the record, there are NOT 6,000-7,000 families living in Skid Row. In fact, there aren't ANY family housing units in Skid Row to begin with. Not a one.
So to question the statistics is a moot point. Based on what I stated above regarding no family housing in Skid Row, how does the Fred Jordan mission constantly get such large turnouts every time they provide for the children? Where do the families come from?
Quite often, I hear estimates of Skid Row being 80-85% African-American, yet the Fred Jordan lines were 90-95% Latino. This should automatically make one ask who are these people and where are they from?( Obviously not Skid Row). So then why do these events have to be held in Skid Row when the Skid Row families don't seem to be invited? Why do "outsiders" take away from Skid Row? How do they find out about these events before Skid Row folks anyway? So many questions can be raised regarding these events.
Finally, what is this talk about people previously knowing about "staph" and other diseases in our gutters? This is the first I'm hearing about this. Why isn't anything being done to fix this dangerous problem? It almost sounds as if it's only a problem when "outsiders" come to Skid Row. What about the people that live in Skid Row everyday? Don't we deserve a cleaner and safer community? Has anyone contacted the Health Department and demanded they rectify this situation at once? Afterall, it sounds like others have known about this for quite some time.
But as usual, people will always blame the residents for Skid Row being dirty, nasty and unhealthy.
Once again, I'm so disgusted and disappointed in our city.
Ignacio on October 06, 2009, at 01:15AM – #17
"The line for the giveaway first appeared on Monday afternoon, nearly 72 hours before the event. Families were told to line up on Crocker street, south of 5th. They slept on cardboard boxes and a couple of mattresses brought out by the mission and dropped on the sidewalk. There were no restroom facilities, and children were seen urinating and defecating against buildings and in the gutter."
The only difference in quality of life on that day vs. any other in downtown is that shoes were being given away.
Having just witnessed a man stop in to defecate in my garage entrance, when are adequate, clean, safe restroom facilities going to be made to these people?
Until they're euthanized, animals living in our city's "shelters" get better treatment.
neewii wii on October 06, 2009, at 01:21AM – #18
somewhere in the news about 6 months ago:
people got into huge fights/ riots for a free KFC meal (2 pieces of chicken)and waited hours to get it. this will happen to this even if it's not improved.
i am not saying make people do hardwork for some overstock name-brand shoes but what about allow people work for one hour or a minimum amount of time for these handouts?
something that even kids can also enjoy like wrapping gifts for homeless people for christmas? or write "thank you" cards to the overseas military service people. would this be a better quality time and meaningful to kids and adults alike?
Estela Lopez on October 09, 2009, at 09:25AM – #19
Spanish-speaking members of our BID security team spoke to many of the people in line and reported that families self-identified as having come from Koreatown, Rampart/MacArthur Park, Boyle Heights, Covina and Hacienda Heights to name a few.
JM on October 12, 2009, at 04:58PM – #20
Kudos to General Jeff!
How about a story on which services aren't being provided in Skid Row, like street and sidewalk cleaning and toilet facilities, and who we can contact to turn that around?
I know that you cannot force people to stay clean, nor should you,* but streets and sidewalks? Come on.
*There are many good reasons people do not bathe, having to do with privacy, defense against theft or attack (i.e., vulnerability), disease prevention and personal climate control. These reasons are not part of a rationale I choose to adopt, but then again, I don't have to. I respect that there are others who do.