Clothing For a Cause x Downtown Women's Center
Local Thread is excited to partner with The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) and donate part of its women’s 2021 collection profits. LT strives to advocate for those in need by not only giving back but by creating a movement of compassion and social concern, especially towards women experiencing homelessness. We strongly believe that when we begin by empowering women in need we create a ripple effect that reaches far and beyond. Every woman deserves a safe, stable home. Yet in the midst of Los Angeles’ housing and homelessness crisis, more women than ever before are living on the streets and in shelters. What’s more, women are frequently left out of efforts to end homelessness. The Downtown Women’s Center is committed to ending women’s homelessness for good. They help women regain personal stability through housing, wellness and employment, and they ensure their voices are heard through advocacy. Women’s lives depend on the Downtown Women's Center's work, and they depend on their supporters to get every woman housed. For more than 40 years the DWC has shown that homelessness does have a solution and we at LT couldn’t be more excited to contribute.
Because there are times that change comes first by changing the way we see things here is a very useful list:
Debunking Common Myths of Homelessness!
MYTH: Homelessness is a personal choice. People who are homeless don't want help; they want to stay homeless.
FACT: Nobody wants to be homeless. Homelessness is usually the result of economic burden due to unemployment, unexpected medical expenses, etc. Current research in Los Angeles shows that 59% of people report economic burden as the main cause of their homelessness, followed by weakened social networks and disabling health conditions.
MYTH: People experiencing homelessness are all mentally ill and abuse substances and/or alcohol.
FACT: The majority of people experiencing homelessness aren't mentally ill and don't abuse substances. Only 27% of adults experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles report a substance abuse disorder and 25% a serious mental illness, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
MYTH: Affordable housing developments drive down local property values.
FACT: There is no evidence that low-income housing can lead to local property value decline, as noted in a 2007 study of the country’s 20 least affordable housing markets prior to the subsequent market collapse.
MYTH: Unhoused people in Los Angeles are not local; most come from elsewhere because of the nice weather.
FACT: The majority (72%) of adults experiencing homelessness have lived in LA for more than 20 years, followed by individuals (11%) who have lived in LA for 10-20 years.
Learn more at www.DowntownWomensCenter.org.