Homeless Advocates March, Collect Clean Underwear

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Feb 20, 2006 4:13 pm US/Pacific

Homeless Advocates March, Collect Clean Underwear

(CBS) LOS ANGELES In an effort to raise awareness and collect clean underwear for homeless people, 200 people marched downtown Los Angeles streets Monday during the 6th annual Los Angeles Mission March for Human Dignity.

Church volunteers, companies and non-profit groups began the march at the Los Angeles Library at 5th and Flower streets and marched to the Los Angeles Mission at 5th and Wall streets, the mission’s Ayana Petteway said.

The group collected plastic bins full of clean underwear to give to homeless people.

People take clean underwear for granted, Los Angeles Mission President Marshall McNott said, and such a simple thing has a lot to do with human dignity.

"Many ask us why we have an underwear drive," McNott said. "Try to imagine how you'd feel if all you had for underwear was something someone else had already worn and discarded. That's the feeling we want to eradicate for the people we serve."

The march was the conclusion to the month-long underwear drive to highlight the issues that diminish the dignity of homeless men, women and children.