The Midnight Mission, located in downtown Los Angeles, has serviced the city’s impoverished community since 1914. At the Mission, people on Skid Row are provided with warm meals, social activities and rehabilitation plans to help steer them on a steady path.

In 2010, the Director of Public Affairs, Georgia Berkovich, created “Music With A Mission,” an entertainment-centered program directed at uplifting individuals who attended the Mission. Musicians from L.A. were invited to bring their instruments and fans and perform for the homeless residents in downtown.

After witnessing the success of “Music With A Mission,” Berkovich created “Art With a Mission,” a similar program that allowed Skid Row residents to come and use painting and coloring as outlets to express themselves. Berkovich and the Mission found that people battling mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse and other debilitating diseases were able to find an escape to their daily troubles through creative and expressive outlets.

READ MORE: AN HOUR ON SKID ROW

Essentially, Midnight Mission began using music and art to reform people on Skid Row. The events are held every Thursday from 1:30p.m. to 3:00p.m to allow participants a consistent place to come and relieve themselves without the strain of keeping up with dates. Berkovich said she has watched people be transformed by the events and it is one of her proudest endeavors. 

Contact Staff Reporter Lamarco McClendon here.