Volunteer Grant Buckerfield, who is working on a series of videos on Venice, created a short film capturing the need for a free storage program for the homeless and the impact that our Free Storage Venice program is having in the community.  

 

Venice Story : Free Storage Facility

 

The Future of FSV 

 

We continue to seek a larger, permanent storage program for unhoused people to not only store their belongings but also to connect with other services (see our Volunteer News section for more details!)  

 

If you would like to support the work of Free Storage Venice with a donation, please click here.  

 

If you would like to volunteer with FSV, contact Barbara Milliken at (310) 399-4100 x 134 or bmilliken@vchcorp.org. 

VCH hosts Free Storage Venice volunteer recognition and sleeping bag fundraiser  

 

VCH and nine local nonprofits and community organizations came together for a volunteer recognition ceremony and sleeping bag fundraiser at the Venice home of Executive Director Steve Clare on July 12th.  

 

To date the event has raised over $3,300 to provide unhoused people with new sleeping bags - well over our goal of $2,000 - and money is still coming in! We also received several in-kind donations of sleeping bags.   

 

Free Storage Venice (FSV) volunteers, VCH Board Members, event sponsors and community supporters enjoyed a barbecue, live jazz music, and a celebration of FSV's efforts to support the homeless. 

Free Storage Venice coordinators thank volunteers for their service at the Venice Beach storage container. (Photo: Jack Prichett)

Steve Clare thanked attendees and the band, Venice Consensus, which performed gratis for the afternoon.

Board Member and Volunteer Coordinator Barbara Milliken and FSV Coordinator Gina Maslow recognized and thanked the active group of FSV volunteers for their commitment to serving homeless persons at the Venice Beach storage container (for an update on Free Storage Venice, please see our Volunteer News section below!)   

 

Renowned civil rights attorney, Carol Sobel (pictured below), discussed her recent victory in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, invalidating as unconstitutional a Los Angeles City ordinance that prohibits people from living in their vehicles. Becky Dennison and other Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) activists spoke about the campaign to promote a Homeless Bill of Rights.  

Featured guest Carol Sobel. (Photo: Jack Prichett).

Sponsors for the event were: Free Venice Beachhead, Los Angeles Community Action Network, Venice Justice Committee, Occupy Venice, P.O.W.E.R., Safe Place for Youth, Venice Community Housing, Venice Family Clinic, Venice Peace and Freedom Party, Veterans For Peace.  

 

Thanks to Venice Whole Foods for donating food for the event!    

Before and After: Recent capital improvements 

Photos from Study Lounge Summer Camp!   

 

Professional photographers Carol Royce-Wilder and Jack Prichett, pleased with their results after completing the Venice YouthBuild graduation photo shoot.

YouthBuild graduates benefitted from decades of photographic knowledge, background and experience when Venice professional photographers Carol Royce-Wilder and Jack Prichett took formal graduation portraits of the program's Class of 2014.

Each student posed for two different photos: the traditional mortarboard headshot and another with a YouthBuild hardhat - emphasizing the construction training element of the YouthBuild program. All 27 graduates participated. Each was shown the portraits "in camera," selecting their favorites.

The photographers delivered two retouched, final photos of each graduate. YouthBuild students received these for their personal use.

The results show a happy, confident, eager, and accomplished group of young people.

Four beaming YouthBuild graduates (Photos: Jack Prichett and Carol Royce-Wilder)

To view all of the YouthBuild graduation portraits, click here.  

 

USC volunteers design Free Storage Venice Facility

  

University of Southern California professor of architecture Erik Mar, along with five of his students, has volunteered to design a permanent facility for the Free Storage Venice (FSV) program.

 

Executive Director Steve Clare and Volunteer Coordinator Barbara Milliken have met with Erik and one of his students, Jordan Roberts. Together they are exploring locations and configurations, with the goal of providing maximum storage, privacy, electricity, heat, and sanitary facilities and complying with City requirements.  

USC Architecture student Jordan Roberts inspects the current FSV facility and confers with Volunteer Coordinator Barbara Milliken and volunteers Jack Prichett and Mike Chamness

The present Venice Beach FSV container, located within a chain-linked area and shared with City vehicles, is inadequate for clients. It is running at full capacity and continuing demand cannot be met.  There is little room and privacy for our clients, and it is uncomfortable and difficult for volunteers because bins must be removed to access others, sometimes requiring lifting and lowering those on top. There is no lighting, protection from the elements, or sanitary facilities. 

 

IN THE COMMUNITY