Peace and Justice Outreach
At Holy Nativity, we believe we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world and we seek opportunities to put that belief into action in our local community, working alongside those in need.
In addition to our Community Garden and our partnership with Food Forward – both of which provide an abundance of fresh, organic produce to the local food pantry – we have a relationship with S.P.Y. (Safe Place for Youth), based in Venice.
S.P.Y. provides a safe haven for homeless youth, offering supportive services in a safe environment. Further, S.P.Y. aims to create public awareness, build coalitions, improve rights, and impact policy for youth in need.
The first Tuesday of each month, the Holy Nativity community prepares a hot meal of chili, cornbread, rice and salad, which we take to S.P.Y. and serve to between 40 and 60 youth.
In addition, we collect needed items several times a year – socks, underwear, blankets, small-sized toiletry items – and also provide a snack “meal” for the youth who come to the center.
This is a powerful way to connect with youth in need in our local community - more than just food and supplies, we hope to create community and provide those we serve at S.P.Y. with a sense of belonging often hard-won among those on the margins of society.
Each week, we send the harvest from our Community Garden to our friends at Food Pantry LAX, a volunteer-led emergency food resource for our lower-income neighbors in the surrounding communities of Westchester, El Segundo, Inglewood, Hawthorne, and parts of Los Angeles.
We also partner with the folks at Food Forward in gleaning food that would otherwise go to waste to help feed those in need. The food comes from backyard fruit trees, public orchards, farmers markets, and the downtown Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market. 100% of the produce recovered is donated to hunger relief agencies across 8 counties in Southern California.
CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) is a broad, interfaith coalition including Christians (both evangelical and so-called "mainline" denominations), Muslims and Jews of all denominations, historic African-American churches, Spanish-speaking Pentecostals, and Korean congregations with a shared commitment to making a more just, welcoming, and egalitarian community for all, including immigrants, workers, and those on the economic margins.
