mhala

 I remember The Village being Mental Health Homeless Advocates. In previous post Herb's e-mail is listed as mhala. org which is Mental Health America of Los Angeles. Google shows it on Pine Ave. The website lists it on Long Beach Blvd. I vaguely recall The Village was looking to move. Went to City Council meeting about it. "Not in My Backyard!" 

I hung out a lot with Bear at Cesar Chavez Park. I used to pick up snipes; cigarette butts for Bear. He would remove the paper to bag the tobacco and roll cigarettes. Sometimes he would cook on a grill. 2004

I ran into Bear outside a 7/11. He was now homed due to Safe Haven program at The Village. He let me stay in his apartment a few times. Slept on floor. I also napped sleeping on his couch. 2006

If I remember correctly Bear hooked me up with Sarah. She got me an apartment via their Save Haven program. Shad Fossen became my Advocate. He was also Bear's advocate. 

I worked part time at The Village doing filing in the office. I was in store room one day, when Sharon came in and asked something, "what are you doing?" maybe. I used to unpack and put stuff in there; socks for homeless and other donations. That moment in time I was staring blankly, and I guess I had been in there too long. Thousand yard stare.

Sciatic nerve pain? I had to sit down a lot as I did the filing. 

I also did a short stint in the cafeteria. I left in a tiff. They had some young girl training me. She was slow and snotty. I did not need to learn how to use a measuring cup. Whoever was my supervisor explained that the girl needed to learn how to train people to do the job.

I sometimes ran the cash register. I vaguely recall making sandwiches. I may have tried to work there a few more times. Do not recall. I may have gotten Shad or Sara to transfer me to the office.