PATH Helps Homeless

We applaud the work being done at the new West Hollywood Homeless Shelters (Times, Feb. 7), but find it necessary to correct your description of it as the only one of its kind on the Westside.

PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) has been offering services to the homeless and marginally homeless on the Westside since 1985. We not only offer a 60-day, 24-hour residency program with meals and various counseling services (as does the West Hollywood program), but we operate a walk-in day center and emergency short-term shelter residence for men as well. In addition, PATH owns and operates a building that provides low-income, permanent, affordable rental housing for some of those people successfully completing our 60-day program.

Our day center provides grocery bags of food, clothing and counseling services to nearly 6,000 people a year; our 60-day program houses over 300 a year, and our emergency shelter for men provides services for over 400 a year. All of our serves are free and available to the specifically targeted population of the homeless on the Westside.

MICHELE A. SMOLLAR

Executive Director, PATH