FOOD

Homeless and the housed poor will never starve in Santa Monica.  Food is everywhere--both cheap food and free food.

If you have no money and you find that panhandling is too humiliating (which it is), there are several ways to eat.  The OPCC Access Center on Olympic at 5th gives out free food almost every day.  On Friday mornings, there's a small group that gives out free coffee and sack lunches in Reed Park on Wilshire.  The abundant Farmer's Markets in Santa Monica are a great place to graze for free food (mostly just fruit).  Many compassionate people will leave food on the street for the poor and homeless.  And, finally, if you are truly desperate, trash cans in and around downtown Santa Monica frequently have perfectly good food in them (one time I found a box of pizza, still warm from the oven and not a bite taken out of it).

The problem is that free food is usually the worst kind:  starchy, sugary, carbohydrate-laden breads, bagels, crackers, etc.  It is very difficult to find protein like meat or eggs or cheese.

But beggars can't be choosers, of course.