Coffee, Courage, and Care at the Hotel Cecil
Building community, addressing trauma, saving lives—and inviting you to be part of the story.
The work at the Hotel Cecil continues to grow in ways that remind us all that community is not just a word but something we build together. Over the past few weeks, we’ve created several new partnerships and added programs that deepen the sense of belonging and support among our residents.
A Healing Space for the Mind and Heart
We are grateful to announce a partnership with two trauma-informed psychotherapists who will be offering voluntary group talk and process therapy for residents. Untreated mental health challenges are one of the greatest obstacles our community faces, often compounding cycles of poverty, addiction, and isolation. By creating a space where residents can begin to name and process their experiences, we are taking a first step toward healing.
Of course, this is not a cure-all, but it is a foundation—a starting point for residents to begin building resilience, finding their voice, and working toward self-advocacy.
Life-Saving Partnership on Skid Row
We’ve also joined hands with Second Chance Recovery Alliance, an overdose intervention and education non-profit committed to saving lives. Their research is sobering: more than one-third of all overdoses in Los Angeles County happen in and around Skid Row.
To help us respond, they have donated Narcan for us to have at the Hotel Cecil—medication that has already saved countless lives. I’ve also had the privilege of joining them on walk-abouts in Skid Row, where we engage directly with people on the streets—often those facing the very worst of their addiction. These encounters are difficult and raw, but they remind us of the urgency of this work and the sacredness of each life.
Building Community Over Coffee and Toast
Sometimes community is built in the simplest of ways. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., we open the doors of the historic Mezzanine for Coffee and Toast. Hosted by a resident-volunteer, the Mezzanine becomes our own little coffee shop—laughter, conversation, and the clink of mugs filling the space. It’s a chance for neighbors to become friends, for a building to become a home. In a place where isolation can be so heavy, these mornings knit people together, reminding us that none of us has to walk this journey alone.
A Chance to Double Your Impact
Finally, we are humbled to share that a generous anonymous donor has stepped forward to match every donation, up to the first $3,000, made between now and September 1. That means every gift is doubled—every act of generosity goes twice as far in creating hope, healing, and home at the Cecil.
Our work at the Hotel Cecil can’t happen without your support! This is the moment to act. If you’ve been considering making a gift, please don’t wait. Your donation today will be matched dollar-for-dollar, directly supporting mental health care, overdose prevention, and community-building at the Hotel Cecil. Together, we can make twice the difference.
I used to pick up on skid row. Sober 12 years now! Thank you for believing in these friends.