Project Y!MBY Yields Unprecedented Turnout".

July 2008

On June 26th, over 70 public and private agencies gathered at Hollywood's Music Box Fonda Theatre to kick-off the 3rd Annual Project Y!MBY Connect Day. The Greater Hollywood/West Hollywood event provided assistance to an unprecedented 589 homeless individuals, offering everything from ID cards provided by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), to foot washing, to animal daycare services.

"I wasn't sure what to expect when I agreed to volunteer,"Â says Vivian Edwards, a longtime DMV employee. It was such a great opportunity to take DMV services to the streets I wish we could do this every month."Â

West Hollywood Mayor Abbe Land kicked off the yearly event, applauding the 300 service volunteers in attendance. Actor Bruce Weitz (Hill Street Blues) was amongst the volunteer crowd, as were many Hollywood business organizations, including The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Hollywood Property Owners Alliance. Music Box owner Thad Smith was so moved by the event, he was compelled to offer to host Project Y!MBY Connect Day again next year, stating "you must become the change you wish to see in Hollywood and in ending homelessness. This commitment is our small way of making change."Â

Created by People Assisting The Homeless (PATH) in early 2005, Project Y!MBY (Yes! In My Backyard) has grown into a multi-agency collaboration promoting positive community mobilization efforts. In 2007, Project YIMBY joined forces with HHYP (Hollywood Homeless Youth Partnership), significantly increasing its outreach capabilities and ability to reach the homeless youth population. "Partnership is at the core of everything we do at PATH Partners,"Â says CEO Joel John Roberts. "With 73,000 homeless at stake, no one organization can afford to go it alone."Â

Project Y!MBY is gearing up to mobilize other regions of Los Angeles County, including Long Beach and Glendale. For more information on how to get involved, visit www.epath.org/yimby.

View photos from Project Y!MBY Connect Day at:
http://www.epath.org/yimby/connectday2008/Connect%20Day%202008/