William Mead Homes Housing Project

The woman driving down Bloom Street abruptly pulled over as she saw Eduardo Garcia's large white truck. "I was just on my way to the store," she told Garcia, as she rushed over and picked out some tomatoes from crates lining the inside of the truck. She asked for two gallons of milk, which Garcia pulled out of a large refrigerator in the center of the truck. The woman walked back to her car armed with plastic bags containing $8.40 worth of groceries.

The woman driving down Bloom Street abruptly pulled over as she saw Eduardo Garcia's large white truck. "I was just on my way to the store," she told Garcia, as she rushed over and picked out some tomatoes from crates lining the inside of the truck. She asked for two gallons of milk, which Garcia pulled out of a large refrigerator in the center of the truck. The woman walked back to her car armed with plastic bags containing $8.40 worth of groceries.

About 30 residents of the William Mead Homes housing project were awarded diplomas Wednesday night after taking a 12-week parenting course. "The course has helped me answer their questions with more liberty," said Manuela Vargas, 40, who has nine children ranging from 7 to 20. "I can now be more open with them, and I can share in their problems."

Tucked away in the shadow of the County Jail, the William Mead Homes housing project has long been neglected and hurt by a reputation as a haven for violence, residents say. The project's 50-year history is rife with tales of shootings and stabbings caused by racial tensions among the ethnically diverse residents. But in the past few years, residents say things have changed for the better, with neighbors now helping each other and local children involved in positive activities.

Since the ABC supermarket on Pico and San Vicente burned down in last spring's riots, Mid-City residents came to rely on Eduardo Garcia, a friendly produce vendor who offered credit, accepted food stamps and sold fresh goods at low prices. Garcia was intent on helping those victimized by the disturbances. Last Wednesday night, he became a victim himself--shot and killed by two teen-agers who fled with only $18.

Gerardo Roman lives in a small two-bedroom apartment in the William Mead Homes housing project, an East L.A. development nicknamed "Dogtown" after a local gang. Few teen-agers from Dogtown try out for the Lincoln High football team, and even fewer survive an entire season. Said Coach Randy Rodriguez: "Some drop out of school because they have to get a job, and others quit because they get frustrated because they're not playing well."