A New Light

When the organization First Day proposed establishing a shelter in the Whittier area the proposal was not accepted by the community who were concerned about the negative effects a shelter would have on the area. The majority of the community feared that the shelter would attract more homeless people who would increase crime rates, destroy public property, and increase the amount of drug use in the area.

Despite the oppositions made against the shelter First Day received funding from local organizations and Los Angeles state and federal agencies. This funding allowed First Day to establish itself within the Whittier area and they officially opened their doors November 2001.

After years of providing their services the organization proved to be a success and its success altered the way many felt about having the shelter in the Whittier area. Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital (PIH) was one of the strongest opposing forces at the time First Day was trying to establish itself. They feared that the organization would attract more homeless people to the area thus creating a bigger dilemma in the emergency room. Since the homeless do not have health insurance they go to the emergency room for treatment whenever they have an illness or injury even if it does not require emergency attention.

Although PIH had opposed the establishment of First Day once the organization had officially opened their services in the Whittier area PIH chose to work alongside First Day. PIH decided to offer their health care services within First Day and by doing so they helped to decrease the number of homeless people in the emergency room.

What had once was thought to be an outrageous idea had turned out to be one of the most beneficial changes made within the Whittier area. Not only do the services of First Day help the homeless but they have changed the overall perception of those within the community by proving that their organization does more good than bad. Everything that the community had worried about did not happen and the biggest opposing group ended up working alongside the organization which led to one of the best collaborations in the community.

First Day is not just simply a shelter it is an organization that ensure a healthier, safer and more tightly knit community that strives to support one another. The organization has created such an impact on the community that it has recently gone to the All-America City Award competition in Denver, Colorado. It was one of twenty-five cities across the country to attend and was a finalist in the overall competition.

The organization’s story just goes to show that nothing but good change can come from helping others. By standing up for what they believed was the right thing to do for the community the people of First Day shined a light over Whittier where there had once been darkness, opening the community's eyes to change.