Compassionate outreach brings warmth to homeless community during year-end cold snap

On December 28, the last weekend of the year, a group of compassionate individuals extended a helping hand to the homeless braving the winter chill.

Led by Senior Pastor Doyle Kim, 11 members of Lighthouse Mission Church in Glendale—including ministers and congregants—delivered sleeping bags to over 50 homeless individuals across Los Angeles’s Koreatown.

“I was inspired by the Korea Daily’s feature on homelessness and felt compelled to personally visit the streets where the homeless live to offer assistance,” Pastor Kim shared. “With the cold weather, we decided to donate sleeping bags that could provide warmth to those shivering outdoors.”

The church volunteers began their outreach at around 8:40 a.m. near MacArthur Park, a well-known area with a high concentration of homeless individuals. As volunteers set up tables and unloaded sleeping bags from their van, more than 50 homeless individuals emerged from all directions of the park, forming a line to receive the much-needed supplies.

John Barfield, one of the recipients, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m deeply thankful to receive a sleeping bag. Not many people think about the homeless, so I’m grateful for this help.” Another recipient, Jose Marino, added, “The temperatures have dropped significantly, and this sleeping bag will help me stay warm.”

Following their efforts at MacArthur Park, the church team extended their outreach to homeless Koreans in Koreatown. They visited individuals including Shin So-young, Yang Kye-hyung Yang, and Yoon Ae-bok, who expressed their heartfelt thanks. “Thank you for coming all this way to personally deliver such a precious sleeping bag,” said Yoon.

One of the volunteers, Young Kim, reflected on the experience: “I’ve always felt sorrowful when seeing the homeless, but I didn’t know how to step forward and help. This opportunity allowed me to make a difference, and I’m grateful for that.”

Lighthouse Mission Church plans to continue its outreach to the homeless. Pastor Kim noted, “This was the church’s first homeless outreach effort, and we are working on plans to provide ongoing support to those in need.”

BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]