A participant in the 'Art with a Mission' event on Skid Row paints (Benjamin Li/Neon Tommy)

On the second Thursday of every month, Los Angeles based Midnight Mission hosts ‘Art with a Mission,’ an event that gives members of the Skid Row community an opportunity to share their hopes, dreams, and frustrations through creative mediums. 

Paintbrushes and pencils in hand, the inhabitants of Skid Row contentedly focused on the pieces of art steadily emerging in front of them, while others kicked back, relaxed, and socialized.

“Come on, let’s take a picture,” one young participant called out during the event. “This is Midnight Mission, we gotta do it right!”

A piece of art created during the previous ‘Art with a Mission’ event also laid bare the grateful emotions of a regular visitor to Midnight Mission.

This communal experience was made possible by Midnight Mission’s ceaseless efforts to help the homeless in Los Angeles find a sense of hope and belonging—a fact that the regular visitors know all too well.

The Midnight Mission is not limited to physical welfare, such as providing food and shelter; it also provides spiritual welfare for the Skid Row community through small-scale events, that act as a cultural and communal anchor for the homeless.

“We provide tangible things, like 3 meals a day, a barber shop, and a library,” said Georgia Berkovich, Community Relations Manager at the Midnight Mission. “We also try to provide something intangible, but of immeasurable value—a sense of family.”

Similar community events with different themes are hosted every month. ‘Music With A Mission’ is hosted on the last Thursday of every month, during which different bands and musical groups come to share their passion for music to the homeless community.

‘Laughter With A Mission,’ showcases the wit of local comedians on the 3rd Thursday of every month.

Besides cultural community events, Midnight Mission also has a full-fledged rehabilitation center. According to their website they use “proven recovery methodologies, job therapy, education and life-skills training enabling [their] participants to erase dependencies and move to self-sufficiency.”

The Midnight Mission promotes self-sufficiency, and teaches the homeless community to rely more on themselves. The organization welcomes people from all walks of life as long as they need help and are willing to change. 

The rehabilitation process starts with substance abuse rehabilitation, and moves from job training and occupational therapy, to lessons on managing personal finances such as, income taxes and personal savings. 

After rehab, many of the homeless that walked into Midnight Mission’s doors seeking help walked out of those same doors as productive members of society.

Many Skid Row inhabitants have gone on to live stable, self-sufficient lives thanks to the guidance of the Midnight Mission—and some have even completed marathons.

“Many of these people were just like you and me,” Berkovitch said. “They were just divided by circumstance.”

Next year, the Midnight Mission will celebrate 100 years of service to the Los Angeles homeless community.

Email Benjamin Li here.