Here's quoting from a beautiful essay about why ending homelessness is a moral issue, written by Matthew King, communications director for Heal the Bay. Heal the Bay has joined 300 other organizations, cities, and elected officials who have endorsed Measure H on the March 7 ballot with the goal of ending homelessness in LA County. You can see the names of the 62 faith leaders, congregations and faith-based organizations that have endorsed Measure H below the excerpt from Matt's essay (or you can read his whole essay HERE):
. . . Welcome to L.A.—the homeless capital of the United States. Clinging underneath highways, sleeping in underbrush, passed out on doorsteps, roaming parks and beaches, these largely forgotten souls haunt our public spaces and our civic conscience. . .
. . . And while many live in the shadows, most homeless hide in plain sight. . .
. . . A spirit of resolve is palpable among the community and business groups supporting the initiative, which includes Heal the Bay. I felt it in the packed, cheering room when the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ballot measure late last year. A wide swath of the county’s elite, from LACMA chief Michael Govan to billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad, voiced their support.
Homelessness is foremost a moral issue for Heal the Bay. To be clear, water quality suffers in our ocean and rivers when the homeless lack access to basic sanitation. But our focus is ensuring basic human dignity and access to clean water for all.
Now is the time for everyday citizens to uplift our region’s most vulnerable populations. We can’t wait any longer. It’s easy to get lost in the alphabet soup of initiatives on crowded ballots. But this measure is easy to remember and hard to ignore—H is for humanity.
Endorsers include:
Faith-based organizations
Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
AME Ministerial Alliance
Bend the Arc
Black Jewish Justice Alliance
CLUE
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles
Korean Churches for Community Development
LA Metropolitan Churches
LA Voice
Latino Muslim Association of America
One LA (coalition of 24 faith & non-profit groups & schools)
The Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Los Angeles
Congregations
Chosen Generation Fellowship Church
Holman UMC
Rose City Church
Sholem Community Organization
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
St. Agatha Catholic Church
Temple Ahavat Shalom
Ward AME Church
Faith Leaders
Rt. Reverand J. Jon Bruno, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
Bishop R. Guy Erwin of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Bishop Grant Hagiya of the California‐Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church
Rabbi Sarah Hronsky of Temple Beth Hillel, Valley Village, and Vice President, Board of Rabbis of Southern California
Rev. Linda Culbertson, General Presbyter, Presbytery of the Pacific
Rev. Dr. Felix Villanueva, Conference Minister, United Church of Christ in Southern California and Nevada
Canon Robert Williams, President Interreligious Council of Southern California
Rabbi Sarah Bassin
Rabbi Haim Beliak
Father Gregory Boyle
Rabbi Sharon Brous, IKAR
Rev. John E. Cager, Ward AME Church
Rabbi Ken Chasen, Leo Baeck Temple
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen
Rabbi Neil Comess‐Daniels
Jaime Edwards‐Acton, Clergy, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
Rabbi Anthony Elman
Rabbi Noah Farkas, Valley Beth Shalom, LAHSA Commissioner
Rabbi Morley T. Feinstein, Past President of the Board of Rabbis
Rev. Heidi Worthen Gamble
Rabbi Laura Geller
Rabbi Dr. Miriyam Glazer
Rabbi Susan Goldberg
Rev. Dr. Harold E. Kidd, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Inglewood
Rabbi Jonathan Klein
Rabbi Naomi Levy
Rev. Michael A. Mata, First Church of the Nazarene
Rabbi Robin Podolsky
Rabbi Laurence Scheindlin
Rabbi Ahud Sela
Rabbi Joel Simonds, University Synagogue & the Religious Action Center of Reform Judiasm
Rabbi Ron Stern, Stephen Wise Synagogue
Rev. Gary Bernard Williams, Saint Mark United Methodist Church
Rabbi David Wolpe
Cantor Keith Spencer‐Shapiro, University Synagogue
Yolanda Brown, Leader, Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Beatriz Camargo de Sandoval, Community Leader, LA Voice, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Jacquelyn Dupont‐Walker, President, Ward Economic Development Corporation
Robert Martinez, Staff, Our Mother of Good Counsel Church
Kathleen Petrini, Parishioner, Holy Family, So. Pasadena
Nick Warnes, Leader, Northland Village Church
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