• by Amy Corr  @MediaPostOTL, June 3, 2015

The Weingart Center for the Homeless based in Los Angeles launched an outreach campaign that encourages people to make an investment in a homeless person, rather than just making a donation. A 2:45 video begins with a group of investors gathering to hear a pitch for a lucrative investment opportunity. As the organizer begins his pitch, a disheveled man enters the boardroom and tries to shake hands with those closest to him. The first man scoffs at the outreach, but the second man approached shakes the man's hand. He sits at the head of the table and the organizer tells the group that the homeless man is their investment. Los Angeles spends $35,000 yearly on every homeless person left on the street while The Weingart Center for the Homeless helps homeless men and women get jobs, ultimately leading to them renting an apartment and contributing to society. This results in a reduction in costs for law enforcement, emergency room visits, welfare and food stamps. The event organizer was actually a resident of the Weingart Center for 11 months and is now married, a homeowner and small-business owner. Watch the video here, created by Pitch.