The Salvation Army - The Way In Youth Center — Local services in Los Angeles

They are AMAZING. A god send. I arrived from NY and they took me in gave me a place to stay when I had nowhere to go. All my basic needs were provided. (Meals, a bed enclosed with privacy walls, showers, laundry services, your provided a small locker (small items of value). There are security cameras and security guards and doors are locked from 10PM to 6AM for safety and security reasons.

Although the Director didn't like me the intake worker I interviewed with fought to get me emergency housing and stood in my corner fighting for me the whole time. (EXPLAINATION: I just got outta an abusive relationship and 5 months outta rehab so I admit, I'm a hot mess with a lot of baggage and some real * thinking y behavior but I'm getting better everyday.)

They provide a food bank every Friday and Saturday. Seniors are Friday and All is Saturday starting at 9AM

NOTE: the FOOD COALITION is NOT affiliated with Salvation Army, it's just a community service to bridge those who are low income, struggling financially or homeless. It's open to all at no cost to you. (see details below)

Every day at 530-600pm they serve takeout dinners. 7 days a week.

Every Wednesday they collaborate with the FOOD COALITION for haircuts (every other Wednesday), showers, clothing, medical y dental advice, references y treatment (medical interns overseen by licensed doctors and nurses), toiletries, etc... They have a free optometrist truck to get an exam y glasses

Inquire with the coordinators to find out what day what services like showers, glasses, and haircuts for example are scheduled. Because it's all volunteers/ voluntary some things have to be moved to different days.

It's an incredible program to help those...

A Bad Apple in Staff:

This Salvation Army site does a lot of good work including specializing in ending youth homelessness. I even praise them for partnering with the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition which feeds about 220 people that are hungry and in need of a hot healthy meal without any questions. Unfortunately one particular female staff poorly if at all represents the good beliefs and good core nature of the Salvation Army. This Staff Member had said that we cannot use the couch that was by the Computer section while I was in a medical emergency, so the Doctor that was there as part of the Wednesday services had to move to the front tables when you first come in. The Emergency was that I had severe dizzy spells and did not know what it was, the Doctor knew and was going to do a procedure in the main dinning hall and the Staff Person was not very competent in regards to handling a medical emergency regardless of a trained medical Doctor being on site and at the site of the emergency and told the Doctor to move. Even though I was having a medical Emergency and could of gotten seriously injured especially considering that I am a senior with pre-existing disabilities I was disregarded as if I was someone who simply sitting in a place that I was not supposed to. My concern is also how would she handle another medical emergency should it occur to one of the youth that your agency serves when no doctor is present. Leading to this point I have noticed that she was always has a nasty attitude toward the clients of the food coalition and also furthering the incident as well including but not limited to refusing to help disabled guests and denying restroom access while trying too leave at...

Overall an incredibly stressful & inaccessible environment to be in, they do the absolute most when it comes down to arbitrary rules and most of the issues I had were due to them not WANTING to accomodate someone who's disabled. They literally gave my bed away to someone and kicked me out (after losing some of my stuff too) after I had informed them I would be in the ER due to a major disability symptom flare, the front desk staff even confirmed I had, Amado Lopez is probably one of the worst case managers I've ever had the displeasure of needing to talk and work with, he is super unhelpful, his attitude sucks and honestly talking with him is like talking to a brick wall, it literally archives nothing. Cleanliness wise, the bathrooms are absolutely disgusting, it's a regular thing to see shit and piss smeared on the toilets, walls and even floors / down the drain. (I genuinely feel so bad for the janitor he's a sweet dude)

All the other staff for the most part are kind, honest, empathetic and have critical thinking skills and thank them for making the experience a little more bearable.

If you can, stay far away from this place, they make ur mental health & physical...