Programs
For more information on Eligibility requirements and Service information, please see our MEND Eligibility & Service Information page.
The Emergency Foodbank
MEND’s Emergency Foodbank is the largest of its kind in Los Angeles that provides direct distribution to needy clients, and one of the largest in California. Our Foodbank regularly receives an “A” rating by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for adherence to food handling standards.
Emergency Food boxes are distributed three mornings each week and alternate Saturday mornings at the MEND Center, as well as four times per month from satellite operations. Each applicant is personally interviewed to assess needs, verify information and evaluate any special dietary requirements. The boxes provide a generous, nutritionally balanced three-day supply of emergency food, designed to help the families make ends meet, but not create a dependency on MEND.
During calendar year 2007, volunteers collected food valued at almost $4.8 million from area supermarkets, churches, schools, businesses and other organizations to feed 450,735 persons. A significant amount of the food was distributed to more than 62 smaller pantries and charities in the area that also care for low-income people. Volunteers gave 35,373 hours of time to the Emergency Food Program in 2007. Volunteers are always needed to sort food and pack boxes, drive trucks to pick up donated food, and other jobs that help to alleviate the hunger of our families
Medical, Dental and Vision Clinics
MEND operates a Medical, a Vision and a Dental Clinic, founded and developed by volunteer healthcare professionals. The clinics assist poor, uninsured, and medically under-served families who, otherwise, would not have access to these services. The Dental Clinic offers general dentistry, extractions and preventive education. The Medical Clinic provides basic ambulatory, hypertension, diabetic, vision, women's, acupuncture and chiropractic care to adults and children. Both Medical and Dental Clinics also provide education to the patients. When more specialized services are needed, the patients are given referrals to appropriate facilities nearby.
The Vision Clinic is a collaboration between MEND, the Lions Club and the San Fernando Valley Optometric Society. Vision screenings and eye glasses are provided at no charge to patients. When appropriate, referrals are made for cataract surgery at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, and this procedure for MEND clients is underwritten by the Auer Family Foundation.
There were 3,617 patient visits to the clinics in 2007. Volunteers, who include doctors, optometrists, dentists, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and others, gave 6,005 hours of time. The clinics are in the process of increasing access to care and need doctors, dentists, dental assistants, optometrists, nurses, pharmacists, registered nurses, and more to expand the clinic hours of operation.
Home Visiting and Information Referral
Home visitors meet with families and refer them to appropriate MEND programs or community agencies. Home Visitation has been important to MEND's operations since the organization was founded in 1971. The emphasis on these visits has been to personalize MEND's services and to provide additional help to families with critical needs. The volunteers are trained to provide a basic assessment of the household situation and then make referrals to other MEND programs or appropriate agencies within the community. Volunteers visited 1,235 families throughout 2007.
Information and referral services are provided at the MEND office on weekdays. Office workers refer recipients to other organizations that can assist them with their specific needs, help them complete application forms or other paperwork, help them make phone calls, write letters, or just lend a "listening ear”. Volunteers are always needed to conduct home visits and provide support from the MEND office by making referrals and being an advocate.
Employment Support Service
MEND’s volunteer Employment Specialist helps individuals and families free themselves from the poverty cycle by developing their ability to make choices that will lead to a better life.
The MEND Employment Service provides assistance to primarily low-skilled and unskilled applicants who are seeking jobs. Typically, the kinds of jobs they are referred to include gardening, housekeeping, child or elder care and factory work. The volunteers who work in the program interview and screen each applicant, provide specific referrals, help the applicants explore resources they can investigate independently, give advice on interview strategies, encourage attendance at the ESL and Computer classes at MEND, etc. Job skills training is also provided to MEND recipients and low income volunteers in the areas of catering/food service, dental assisting, stock and inventory, and office skills. Volunteers gave 99 hours in 2007 to assist 355 job applicant interviews.
The Education and Training Center
The Education & Training Center at MEND includes English as Second Language Classes and a Computer Lab. ESL classes are offered as a 12-13 week course, Monday through Thursday, with three-four levels in the mornings and in the evenings. A literacy program is also available to ESL students. It provides a one-on-one tutorial class to enable functionally non-literate adults to improve their reading and writing skills. Introductory Spanish classes are also provided to those who have never been to school in their native countries and feel more comfortable learning basic skills in their own language before switching to English classes.
The Computer Lab provides a variety of computer classes for both children and adults from beginners to advanced learners. Children and young adults can do homework as well as explore many different sites on our high-speed Internet connection on weekday afternoons. In the evening, adults may take Office Skills classes and ESL students can practice language with a variety of software programs, some of which have audio feedback for improving pronunciation. The After-School and Saturday Academy program for neighborhood children includes homework help, reading and math instruction, and typing.
MEND’s Sewing Training Program provides instruction to our clients so that they can make clothes for their families or find employment in the clothing industry. Classes are offered in both English and Spanish.
In 2007, 1,768 students benefited from the ESL classes, and additionally 888 persons used the computer lab. Volunteers gave a total of 6,623 hours to the Learning Center. Volunteers are needed to teach the ESL classes, provide instruction in basic computer skills in the Computer Lab, and assist with clerical tasks.
The Clothing Center
The Clothing Center distributes clothing four mornings a week at the MEND Center. Each recipient is given an allotment of clothes items for each member of the immediate family. Each year, a "New Shoes for School" Drive is held for school-age children. The Clothing Center also helps by offering blankets during the winter months, infant care items for newborns, holiday gifts at Christmas and toiletries for the homeless. In 2007, 22,721 people, including 11,973 children, received clothing, shoes, household items and toys from the Clothing Center. Volunteers donated 42,628 hours of time to the Clothing Center. Volunteers are always needed to sort clothing, distribute clothing, pick up donated clothing and other tasks that help MEND to operate its Clothing Center.
The Christmas Basket Program
The Christmas Program at MEND, an all volunteer-run program, seeks to enhance the holiday season of those families in need. Up to 1200 families apply to receive a MEND Christmas Basket, which includes enough food for Christmas dinner plus staple items, a new blanket and two new toys for each child under the age of 14. Each of these families is visited in their homes, and the ones with the most critical need are then "adopted" through the MEND Adoption Program by service clubs, churches, schools, employee groups or concerned and caring families within the community. Those who are adopted receive new clothing, a household item, toys and food, all of which is personally delivered by their adopting group.
In 2007, volunteers gave 6,176 hours to make our Christmas Program a success. Among the participating recipient families, 2,677 children received toys through MEND's Christmas Basket Program. Volunteers are needed to help on committees, such as Toy distribution, Food Packing, Food and Toy Procurement, Donation Pick-Up, Donor Thank You, Record Keeping, Basket Distribution and more. Volunteers are also needed to do Home Visits to the basket recipients, which takes place the first and second Saturdays in November. Additionally, volunteers are needed to wrap toys and pack food for the baskets.
Job Training Program
A variety of training opportunities provide the skills low income recipients need to improve their wage-earning potential and get a better job. Training days and times vary depending on the program chosen.
The following training programs are currently offered:
Food service – Practical hands-on training includes food preparation and service at internal and external catering events. Schedule varies; contact Gina Mirabella, Emergency Foodbank Director for more information, 818-686-7330 or gina@mendpoverty.org
Dental Assistant Training – trainees work chairside with a Dentist in our Dental Clinic learning basics of Dental Assistance including instruments, sterlizing and x-rays. Contact Dental Clinic Manager Denise Benitez (818) 897-2443 x7337 or denise@mendpoverty.org
Warehouse / Inventory Control – Practical, hands-on training is provided in out extensive on-site Food Warehouse. Contact Food Department Assistant Director Tony Marufo at 818-897-2443, X 7334 or tony@mendpoverty.org
Sewing Classes – Learn how to sew for your family or for a career! – Classes meet throughout the week. Call Lilia Soller at 818-896-0246 x7331 or lilia@mendpoverty.org for more information on any of these training programs.