About My Father’s Business, a nonprofit, helps the homeless face winter

Several volunteers on Wednesday evening spanned out across a mile stretch of Deering Avenue in Canoga Park to provide winter necessities to the many homeless who live in tents and RVs between Victory and Roscoe boulevards.

The fifth annual Winter Warmth Outreach program operates under the auspices of About My Father’s Business, a nonprofit homeless ministry in the West San Fernando Valley. On December 18, the volunteers distributed about 100 tarps, sleeping bags, tents, socks, blankets, scarves, beanies, gloves — and hot chocolate.

Aurelio, 67, wearing a worn, tattered brown leather jacket and pushing a wheelchair, didn’t share his last name. But he said he has lived on the streets for four years, first in a trailer and now in a broken-down RV, after losing his job after several workplace injuries.

“He hasn’t had a phone; he lost his contacts,” said Nathan Romaine, executive assistant director at  About My Father’s Business, who translated Aurelio who spoke in Spanish. “His family doesn’t know anything about him,” Romaine explained. “For years he lived in a trailer and eventually lost that trailer and went to the hospital because he had diabetes, but because he didn’t have any documentation they didn’t attend to his medical needs.”

In its Winter Warmth Outreach effort each year, About My Father’s Business — which dubs itself the “home of the hope dealers” — distributes supplies to as many as 180 people.

“That doesn’t reflect the number of unhoused in these council districts,” said Romaine. “That total is much greater. The unhoused don’t come to the event,” he said, the nonprofit goes to them.

More and more volunteers have joined the nonprofit’s annual efforts including students from Cal State Northridge and Pepperdine University, and the growing number of volunteers has helped the nonprofit grow its outreach.

“Braving the street in any season is painful, but winter is particularly challenging,” Romaine said. “(We were) providing essential supplies and materials to cope with colder temperatures, wind and rain. But beyond distributing supplies, our goal is to always take care of our neighbors. Each event and outreach are an important opportunity to connect with, and better understand the needs of, the community members we serve.”

Wednesday, Dec. 18 was Kevin Zemlicka’s one-year anniversary as a volunteer with About My Father’s Business, whose name is taken from a biblical verse.

Zemlicka, an anthology professor at Cal State Northridge and senior program coordinator for Project Rebound — which helps formerly incarcerated students on 19 campuses in the California State University system — said much of society has become “anti-humanism.”

Many years ago, he too was homeless. He believes society needs to change.

“Cruelty is being celebritized,” Zemlicka said. “(Volunteering is) a deliberate act to bring compassion into the conversation, and the best way to elevate voices we don’t often hear. It’s love and compassion without any other agenda.”

Garret Eiferman, a 55-year-old Tarzana resident, CSUN psychology graduate, and Project Rebound recipient, joined in on Wednesday evening to hand out Winter Warmth Outreach supplies. He joined About My Father’s Business six months ago and volunteers every other weekend

“I just want to give back, having lived on the streets,” Eiferman said. “I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and a lot of these (homeless) people are my friends. I like to come and give them a little tiny peace of mind.”

Eiferman had been homeless, which he attributed to taking drugs and making poor decisions. At the time, he decided it was a lot easier to live outdoors where there weren’t any rules or regulations.

Getting an education taught him he was worth more than that.

“I try to give it back to these people, because they are worth the same thing,” he said. “This is my neighborhood. I feel home here.”

Simran Deo, 21, a Chatsworth resident and a student outreach and recruitment counselor at CSUN says her passion is to help her community. “(That’s what) keeps me coming back,” Deo said.

And Jessica Ellis, 21, who grew up in Inglewood and is a CSUN psychology major with a minor in child adolescent development, says she loves reaching out to others in all kinds of communities.  “Especially people who deserve it,” she said, “and helping people in communities being overlooked.”