Union Station Homeless Services

Dinner in the Park has been a community tradition in Pasadena for over 50 years. Last year, we served over 6,000 meals! 🍽️ With rising grocery prices and CalFresh SNAP benefits reduced, we are expecting to serve over 8,000 meals this year. We could really use the help of our colleagues and community this year. Visit ushs.org/dip25 to help

USHS is expected to serve over 8,000 meals this Thanksgiving through our annual Dinner in the Park event. We appreciate all of our sponsors who help USHS make Thanksgiving possible! Thank you to this year's Dinner in the Park Gold Sponsors. Weaver Whittier Trust Company Justice Law Corporation

From the Desk of Amanda Green, COO, Union Station Homeless Services. Amanda reflects on her first Dinner in the Park experience and how community volunteers left a lasting impression. For information on Dinner in the Park, visit: https://lnkd.in/g3MBfyVQ

SHOULD POVERTY BE CRIMINALIZED? Homes solve homelessness. When people have a safe, stable place to live, everything changes. Recovery becomes possible. Stability returns. And resources, many of which are already stretched thin, go further. Housing isn’t a prize for following rules. It’s the starting point. Unfortunately, the executive order signed by President Trump on July 25 moves us backward. It dismisses decades of progress and replaces it with failed, punitive strategies that put vulnerable lives at risk.

SHOULD POVERTY BE CRIMINALIZED? Those of us who’ve worked closely with our unhoused neighbors have seen firsthand what makes a difference and what doesn’t. Housing First works. It’s helped more people secure permanent homes in the last decade than in the four before it. It’s not theoretical. It’s proven. It’s simple: Homes solve homelessness. When people have a safe, stable place to live, everything changes. Recovery becomes possible. Stability returns. And resources, many of which are already stretched thin, go further. Housing isn’t a prize for following rules. It’s the starting point. Unfortunately, the executive order signed by President Trump on July 25 moves us backward. It dismisses decades of progress and replaces it with failed, punitive strategies that put vulnerable lives at risk. Here’s what's at stake: It rejects Housing First, despite overwhelming evidence of its success. It promotes policies that criminalize poverty, pushing people into jails or institutions instead of helping them find housing and support. It forces treatment on people, rather than investing in care that’s based on trust, dignity, and personal agency. It leans on enforcement, ignoring the real causes: lack of housing, healthcare, and income. We believe there’s a better way. And we’re asking for your voice. We Need to Take Action! Speak Out Ask your local and state leaders to reject these policies and affirm their commitment to effective solutions. Defend Housing First Push back against federal restrictions that undermine what we know works. Call Your Elected Officials Tell them housing must remain the foundation of our response to homelessness. Uphold Dignity Let’s focus on making housing more available—not treating homelessness like a crime. I’ve seen what happens when people get the chance to rebuild. With housing and support, lives stabilize and communities heal. That’s the path forward. We choose housing. We choose care. We choose community. And I hope you’ll join us. Katie Hill Chief Executive Officer Union Station Homeless Services

Donald Trump has put himself in charge of the White House Task Force for the 2028 Olympics. He won’t be the official Olympics Chair, but let's be real, this move is about power and optics, not people. The administration has slashed major funding for non-profits; the writing’s on the wall. What this means for L.A: ‘Clean up’ means push out. Cities holding major events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, and, in this case, the Olympics, make a concerted effort to sweep the unhoused population out of sight instead of addressing the root problem. Families are collateral damage. Programs like Inside Safe and Project Homekey have made motels available as temporary shelters to get people off the street and into a safe environment. Once tourists roll in, those rooms go to paying customers at the market rate and not families holding a voucher. Punishment is the end goal. Criminalization and institutionalization are not the answer. Criminalizing for the sake of appearances is not security — it’s cruelty. The Olympics should be a moment of pride and celebration. Instead, without pushback, they could become a catalyst for displacement and criminalization.  Los Angeles deserves better than temporary 'clean-ups'. We deserve a commitment to permanent housing solutions and dignity. Join organizations like Union Station Homeless Services and help ensure our neighbors receive the support needed to thrive. Together, we can champion our nation's athletes and the beautiful community that makes up Los Angeles! Warmly, Katie Hill Chief Executive Officer Union Station Homeless Services

"Criminalizing homelessness doesn't fix it. It hides it, punishes it, and makes it more dangerous. We must build systems that offer support, not barriers. Because the question isn't why people aren't rejoining society — it's why would they, when society keeps pushing them out?"

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