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Food bank volunteer helps homeless man

To help the homeless and at-risk individuals transition toward self-sufficiency

Frustrated teenage girl

To help the homeless and at-risk individuals transition toward self-sufficiency

FD Front Door

To help the homeless and at-risk individuals transition toward self-sufficiency
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Work @ First Day

Finding Solutions to Homelessness

Whittier Area First Day Coalition (First Day), was founded on a vision for a healthy, safe, and vibrant community, encompassing everything from secure housing, stable health, and productive employment to resident engagement, civic involvement, and respect for one’s neighbors.

Mission & Values

Whittier Area First Day (First Day) was founded on a vision for a healthy, safe, and vibrant community, which encompasses everything from secure housing, stable health, and productive employment to resident engagement, civic involvement, and respect for one’s neighbors. First Day’s mission is to help homeless and at-risk individuals and families transition toward self-sufficiency.

Our Values:

  • Compassion
  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Collaboration
  • Empowerment
  • Innovation

Shared Commitments

We are governed by the following values and shared commitments:

  • Each person is treated with respect, dignity, fairness and compassion.
  • Each person displays loyalty and pride in First Day and upholds the confidentiality of residents, visitors and co-workers.
  • Each person demonstrates commitment to open communication.
  • Each person presents themselves as an ambassador of First Day and the agency’s mission.

Our

Model

First Day recognizes that addressing homelessness requires more than just services; it necessitates building strong relationships within the community. Our programs blend the principles of Housing First with trauma-informed care, adopting a "whatever it takes" approach to tackle the multifaceted challenges of homelessness. By incorporating harm reduction strategies, we ensure that individuals struggling with substance abuse have the opportunity to come indoors and address their underlying issues in a supportive environment.

Our

Service Area

First Day offers a broad range of housing and supportive services for clients from the Southeast Los Angeles area. Our services extend to all cities and communities within Service Planning Area (SPA) 7, including Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Cerritos, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Huntington Park, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Maywood, Montebello, Norwalk, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South Gate, Vernon, and Whittier.

Available Services

Our friendly staff provides access to the following services Monday - Friday during the hours of 8 am and 12 noon.  

Often times in the search for food and shelter, access to personal care items like soap and shampoo is extremely limited for our clients. By partnering with local groups and organizations such as the Whittier Emblem Club, First Day makes hygiene kits available through our program office and street outreach teams. The ability to maintain one's personal care is key to upholding a positive outlook, one's dignity and overcoming a potential barrier to obtaining employment or housing.

Our typical hygiene kits include:

  • Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Body Soap
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrush
  • Cotton swabs
  • Lotion
  • Razor & Shaving Cream
  • Tissue
  • Personal Wipes

First Day offers all of its clients access to a mailing address from which they can receive and send mail. This service offers clients a secure address that they can utilize not only for mail but also for applying for employment, housing and other assistance programs. Mail services are available to both clients residing on-site and those who may still be on the streets, Monday - Friday between the hours of 8 am and 12 pm.

First Day clients have access to phone, fax and copy services at no charge during our regular service window hours. This service aids our clients in obtaining employment, making health appointments and contacting family member, among other support.

First Day's Clothing Closet provides adult clients up to 5 articles of clothing per visit, 2-3 times per month. The closet is stocked regularly by donations received from our generous local supporters. Items include men's and women's casual and business clothing, shoes, jackets and undergarments. Access to First Day's Clothing Closet is available Monday-Friday between the hours of 8 am to 12 pm.

Through an expanded partnership with the Whittier Assistance League, First Day also offers women access to the "First Impressions" clothing closet where clients can check out business clothing for job interviews and special events.

In order to best serve our clients, First Day utilizes different assessments to match clients to existing housing, employment and health services. As part of the Coordinated Entry System, our staff administers the VI-SPDAT to help determine clients' individual  vulnerability index for use with matching and determining eligibility for existing housing programs.

Assessments are also utilized to assist clients with career planning and to obtain access to health/mental health services.  First Day's team administers both field based and office assessments during regular business hours.

Upon assessment, clients are provided information and referrals for both in-house and external community resources to assist with their particular needs. First Day staff works diligently to maintain updated on the latest programs and services to ensure optimal service for clients. Please contact our office for further assistance with this service.

First Day's Street Outreach Team assists clients with obtaining documentation required for securing permanent and transitional housing at a reduced or no cost to the client. This documentation includes:  birth certificates, California Identification cards, income verification, Social Security cards, DD-214 forms, and other documents.

Contact Us

We are just a step away when you need us!

Whittier First Day

Our Funders