HODG Westside Lunch Bag Art Exhibit & Fundraiser

You know all those gorgeous lunch bags you’ve decorated over the years, the funny ones, the moving ones, the straight-up masterpieces – well, they are finally getting their own show!  The fantastic organizers at Westside HODG have turned our brown bags into a real gallery show: framed, hung on the walls, and up for sale, with every dollar going to HODG Westside. 

Come see what this community made, sip something, and maybe go home with a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Bring your friends. And your sense of awe.

Sunday, Nov 1
4:00pm – 6:00pm
Craig Krull Gallery
Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 Michigan Ave #B3
Santa Monica

Backyard Lunch Making

After all the elections, fundraisers, and hard questions in this newsletter, here's your palate cleanser: Backyard Lunch Making.  Once a month, we gather in the backyard and make 300+ lunches. That's it. No speeches, no debates, no door knocking. Just a bunch of HODGers, an assembly line, and loads of peanut butter.

It's genuinely fun. You catch up with friends, meet new ones, and in a couple of hours you've made something delicious that ends up in the hands of people who need it.

So Mark your calendars, and sign up to bring a lunch item (If that’s not possible these days, don’t worry about it, just come!)

It feels good to do something this simple.

Backyard Lunch Making
Sunday, Oct 25
10 - noon
My backyard
153 S. Norton
Hancock Park

Ballot Review Zoom with Loraine Lundquist

Heads up! Ballots start arriving in less than a week. And this one’s going to be even longer than these newsletters. Talk about being overwhelmed. That’s why we beg Loraine to walk through it with us every year. 

Loraine has run for City Council, and managed/consulted on about  a billion local campaigns, but most importantly for our purpose here, she is a teacher (a professor of environmental sciences at Cal State Northridge). On this zoom she’ll walk us through our ballots,  especially the 14 propositions. Loraine won’t tell us how to vote. She’ll just make sure you know what you’re voting on.

Ballot Review 
with HODG + Loraine Lundquist
Tuesday, Oct 20
7:30pm
Bring your ballot!

Zoom Meet & Greet with Marissa Roy for LA City Attorney

Register for Zoom here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/fzvQLlhVQi2DDIJn7QPHAQ#/registration

(Reminder: this is NOT an endorsement)

Questions? Email us at: hangoutdogood@gmail.com

Postcarding for Democracy

This Sunday, 10am to noon, at my house. We'll be writing postcards for… actually, I am not sure. But what I do know is that there will be good coffee, something yummy to eat, and people you will want to talk with. 

You sit, you sip, you write a few nice notes to voters, and you go home feeling like a better person. That's the whole thing. Truly, if you're looking for the lowest-effort, highest-coffee way to help, this is it.

Can't make Sunday? No problem. Postcard packets are waiting for you in the orange bucket on my front porch. Grab one, write at your own pace, and you're done.

POSTCARDING for DEMOCRACY
Sunday, Oct 11
10am - noon
My Backyard
153 S. Norton Ave
Bring a friend

POSTCARD PACKETS
In the orange bucket on my front porch
153 S. Norton Ave, Hancock Park
Each packet has everything you need to send 10 postcards
First come, first serve.

Blue Wave Fundraiser

California Game Day was a huge hit. We called, texted and postcard for 5 CA congressional candidates. This Friday eve, four of those candidates we fought for that day – Derek Tran, Adam Gray, Marni Von Wilpert and Randy Villegas are getting one more push! And one of them – Villegas – will be here!

Look, we spent Saturday in the scorching heat fighting for these races. This is how we continue the job. And honestly? This is the fun part. We get to meet a candidate, eat something delicious, and help, all in one evening.

The best part: there's a $50 ticket just for HODG members.

Blue Wave California Fundraiser
with Special Guest: RANDY VILLEGAS (CA-22)
Friday, Oct 9
6pm - 7:30pm
My backyard
153 S. Norton Ave

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

CA Game Day

HODG was looking for a  fun way to bring our community together around the midterms. We came up with what we think is a pretty frickin’ great idea: California Game Day.

Here's the setup: it’s a crisp, sunny Saturday afternoon in fall. You show up to our backyard. You get put into a team. You find your team's table. On the table, waiting for you, is a stack of tasks –  phonebanking, textbanking, fundraising, postcard-writing — all tied to 5 California congressional seats that could decide who controls Congress – CA 13 (Gray), CA 22 (Villegas), CA 45 (Tran), CA 48 (Von Wilpert) CA 6 (Pan). Each team gets 90 minutes to blow through as many tasks as they can. Every task is worth points. The team with the most points at the end wins.

The prize: something amazing, and genuinely worth phonebanking for. (Details TBD, but trust us.) 

And yes — there will be booze. Democracy is thirsty work.

So basically it’s part sports bar, part campaign HQ, part backyard hang — and it might be the most fun you'll ever have flipping a seat. California Game Day: Sat, Oct 3, 3pm. RSVP HERE (or below).

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

HODG Postcarding

We’re postcarding for the midterms! Come join ius! We'll be writing to voters across the country. Officially we are doing it to protect and build our Democracy. Unofficially, we’re doing it to hang out, drink coffee and enjoy pastries together. Both are equally important ;)

HODG Postcarding

Sunday, September 6

10:00am - noon

All are welcome! Bring a friend!

HODG Street Clean Up

Come clean the streets of Los Angeles with us on the FIRST SATURDAY of every month!

We’ll be picking up trash on Sunset Blvd between La Brea and Highland in Hollywood.

Please RSVP below and invite friends, family, neighbors, kids — anyone! — and join us :)

HODG Backyard Lunch Making

We’re hosting another Backyard Lunch Making session!

Bring a friend, your kids, your mom, your neighbor, your coworker — whoever. The more hands, the more sandwiches, the more good.

Below is a link where you can sign up to bring an item or two.  If you aren’t in a position to bring anything, no worries.  Come anyway.  We always need people.  In fact, we could use help with:  

-- Setting up / cleaning up
-- Decorating + labeling lunch bags
-- Stuffing each bag with all 6 items
-- Breaking down boxes for recycling
-- Keeping the stations moving smoothly
-- Loading finished bags into cars
-- Driving a batch over to HoFoCo (1511 Cassil Place)

Or honestly… just come hang out. That part is always fun too.

Bottomline, let's do some good, and have some fun together. 

HODG Backyard Lunch Making

Sunday, August 30

10:00am - noon

153 S. Norton Ave

**Sign up to bring a lunch item if you can**

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

HODG’s Bad-Ass Blood Drive

The Cedars Blood Mobile had a schedule shakeup and suddenly found themselves with an entire Saturday wide open. No blood drives, no plans. They knew exactly who to call.

Us.

I don't know if you're aware, but HODG hosts the best blood drives in town. Not pretty good for a blood drive. The best. We're talking homemade taquitos, fresh guac, chips, fresh-squeezed juice, organic fruit pops. The Cedars staff begs to be assigned to our drive. Consequently, we get the best phlebotomists they've got.

Here's what you need to do to donate here, and save a life:

1. Sign up for a time slot.

2. Show up at that time — with your ID.

3. Do a quick screening (painless, promise).

*** A couple of updates worth knowing: gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships can now donate blood in California. And the FDA has fully lifted the old "mad cow disease" restriction — so that semester in Europe in the 1980s is no longer your permanent excuse to skip out.  Other than that you must be: over 17, weigh 110 pounds and not be anemic.

*** There is no finger stick anymore! 

Come give some blood. Eat a taquito. Feel good about your Saturday.

The HODG Bad-Ass Blood Drive
Sunday, August 8
9:00am - 3:00pm
HODG HQ: 153 S. Norton Ave
Homemade Taquitos! 
Freshly squeezed fruit juice! Popsicles! 
Send link to your peeps.
BRING YOUR ID!

HODG Postcarding

Postcarding is back for the summer!

Every Sunday in July and August, we'll be writing to voters across the country. Officially we are doing it to protect and build our Democracy. Unofficially, we’re doing it to hang out, drink coffee and enjoy pastries together. Both are equally important!

HODG Postcarding

Sundays in July & August

10:00am - noon

All are welcome! Bring a friend!

HODG Street Clean Up

Come clean the streets of Los Angeles with us on the FIRST SATURDAY of every month!

We’ll be picking up trash on Sunset Blvd between La Brea and Highland in Hollywood.

Please RSVP below and invite friends, family, neighbors, kids — anyone! — and join us :)

HODG Newcomer Breakfast

HODG has a lot going on. Like a lot. And we know it can feel overwhelming and intimidating and like everyone already knows each other, and you missed the memo. That’s exactly why we started the Newcomer Breakfast – a low-key-no-pressure way to get your bearings, find out what’s actually going on and how you might plug in. We’d also love to hear what actions, issues you are interested in and what you might bring to the community.

And here’s the thing: “newcomer” is a very loose term! Maybe you signed up yesterday. Maybe you signed up five years ago, got one newsletter, and promptly ghosted us (no judgment – see above about overwhelming. We get it.) Or maybe you came to one action, felt weird and out of place and never came back. All of you are who this is for. Come eat a bagel and find out how badly we want you here!

HODG Newcomer Breakfast
Sunday, July 26
10:00am - noon
153 S. Norton Ave

HODG Postcarding

Postcarding is back for the summer!

Every Sunday in July and August, we'll be writing to voters across the country. Officially we are doing it to protect and build our Democracy. Unofficially, we’re doing it to hang out, drink coffee and enjoy pastries together. Both are equally important!

HODG Postcarding

Sundays in July & August

10:00am - noon

All are welcome! Bring a friend!

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

HODG Zoom Meet & Greet with Marni Von Wilpert

Marni Von Wilpert is a San Diego City Councilmember and former labor attorney for President Obama who is the DEM running to flip Darrell Issa’s Seat in Congress. (CA-48).

People I know and love – Wrenn, Paulette, Josh, etc. – have been quietly obsessed with Marni for months and they have worked their magic to get us a zoom-of-our-own with her (although everyone is invited! — bring your friends, bring your friends' friends, bring that one person who won't stop texting about the midterms).

Here’s why I actually care: this is one of the seats we MUST FLIP to take back the House. AND it is a district that is close enough – in San Diego – that we can actually go knock on doors and talk to real live people. So think of this as the pre-game. Come meet Marni with me, so when we road-trip south together, we're not knocking on strangers' doors for a total stranger.

HODG Meet & Greet with
Marni Von Wilpert
Wednesday, July 15
7:00pm PT
ZOOM

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

HODG Yard Sale

We have stuff we need to get rid of. Why not sell it and raise a little money for HODG while we’re at it?

So — if you've got stuff you want to get rid of, and you think someone might actually pay money for it, let us know. Apparently lightly used kitchen appliances, electronics, and small furniture pieces sell well. But honestly, bring whatever — you'd be surprised what sells. Just fill out the spreadsheet so we have a sense of what we're working with. And if you want to help organize this whole thing, email Jennifer at jentwelve@gmail.com (subject line: HODG Yard Sale).

HODG Yard Sale 
Saturday, July 11
10:00am - 3:00pm
153 S. Norton Ave

A few requests: don't give us your trash. If it's broken, stained, or missing a piece, we don't want it, and neither does anyone else. (Every single one of these sales, there are one or two people who hand us garbage. Don't be those people.) b. Spread the word. [FLYER LINK HERE] — post it on your IG. And send it to all the Yard-Sale- people in your life. c. Show up and help. We need hands to organize and sell unused ice cream makers and ceramic bowls that day.

HODG Backyard Lunch Making

We’re hosting another Backyard Lunch Making session!

Bring a friend, your kids, your mom, your neighbor, your coworker — whoever. The more hands, the more sandwiches, the more good.

Below is a link where you can sign up to bring an item or two.  If you aren’t in a position to bring anything, no worries.  Come anyway.  We always need people.  In fact, we could use help with:  

-- Setting up / cleaning up
-- Decorating + labeling lunch bags
-- Stuffing each bag with all 6 items
-- Breaking down boxes for recycling
-- Keeping the stations moving smoothly
-- Loading finished bags into cars
-- Driving a batch over to HoFoCo (1511 Cassil Place)

Or honestly… just come hang out. That part is always fun too.

Bottomline, let's do some good, and have some fun together. 

HODG Backyard Lunch Making

Sunday, July 5

10:00am - noon

153 S. Norton Ave

**Sign up to bring a lunch item if you can**

WELCOME TO THE SUNDAY LUNCH DRIVE

Thank you so much for joining us in helping feed our neighbors.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. The lunch drive happens every Sunday morning. Rain or shine.

2. You make lunches at home.

3. Most folks make about 10 lunches, but you can make as many or as few as you like.

4. Label the bag with the type of sandwich (this is important and gives the recipients a choice.)

5. Be generous. This is the only meal these folks get all day.

6. Lunches should contain at least 7 items:

   • A drink (water, Capri sun, soda)

   • Sandwich (PB+J, Turkey, Ham + Cheese are most common)

   • Potato Chips (individually packaged)

   • Fruit (oranges, apple sauce, bananas. No apples: too hard on teeth)

   • Cookies (individually packaged)

   • A  snack (beef jerky, granola bar, nuts, etc.)

7. No Glass

8. Some people decorate their bags. Not required but much appreciated.

9. Drop your lunches off at one of the locations:

Visit the HODG Lunch Drive page for more info!

HODG Shabbat

This Friday, come enjoy a potluck around the fire. We will supply dessert and drink. You bring the rest. All are welcome. No need to be jewish, or believe in anything much at all except the power of being close to one another.

HODG Summer Shabbat
Friday, June 26
7:00pm 
153 S. Norton Ave
Los Angeles, 90004