On Friday, February 5th, 2021, the San Diego Housing Commission’s Board of Commissioners approved a contract to operate a new Bishop Maher Interim Shelter at Father Joe’s Villages for the upcoming year. The Interim Shelter is slated to house and provide comprehensive services to 28 single women daily.

“Our top priorities at the City of San Diego are to keep all of us safe from the COVID-19 virus and to work toward providing everyone with a secure place to call home,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “The Bishop Maher Interim Shelter will be an important step toward achieving our goals, and I thank Father Joe’s Villages and the San Diego Housing Commission for their partnership.”

Those residing at the shelter, located at the Bishop Maher Center at Father Joe’s Villages’ East Village campus, will have access to the service provider’s extensive programs to help them transition out of homelessness and into permanent housing, including meals, employment services, case management, health services, and more.

“At Father Joe’s Villages, we believe that all people are worthy of dignity and respect. No one deserves to live in fear or be forced to brave the elements because they have nowhere else to go,” Deacon Jim Vargas, President and Chief Executive Officer said. “I’m grateful to the City of San Diego and San Diego Housing Commission for the opportunity to continue changing the lives of people in need at the Bishop Maher Interim Shelter.

The COVID-19 health and economic crisis has increased the need to move neighbors off the street and into safe, sanitized shelter that will offer support in building self-sufficiency. The 28 beds at the Bishop Maher Interim Shelter will help the organization provide short-term shelter to 28 women, on top of the more than 2,100 people they serve each night through their housing programs and shelters.

The Bishop Maher Interim Shelter will operate as part of the City of San Diego’s Operation Shelter to Home Initiative to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on people experiencing homelessness. The additional shelter beds at the Bishop Maher Interim Shelter will support efforts to help people leave homelessness behind for good, while observing preemptive health measures to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19 among staff, volunteers and residents.

“These shelter beds will be an important resource among an essential range of housing options necessary to address homelessness in San Diego and will provide opportunities for a pathway to permanent or longer-term housing,” SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry said. “The San Diego Housing Commission is pleased to continue collaborating with the City of San Diego and Father Joe’s Villages on homelessness solutions.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 29, 2018

Local generosity helps neighbors keep short-term housing at Father Joe’s Villages despite federal funding changes

SAN DIEGO – June 29, 2018 – This week, Father Joe’s Villages received a generous $2.4 million donation to continue the legacy of First Lutheran Development Corporation, and its inspiring work of over half a century. This gift will ensure that hundreds of men, women and children each year can continue working to overcome homelessness at Father Joe’s Villages’ Family Living Center. This vital program has been providing a safe haven for children and their parents since 1987. This local support replaces critical funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as the national agency continues to move its focus to permanent housing. This gift funds about 40 percent of the program’s budget over the course of three years.

At the Family Living Center, Father Joe’s Villages staff provide structure and individualized guidance for an average of 100 parents to work toward stability and permanent housing for their families. The program provides safe, secure housing, meals and comprehensive support so that families can get back on their feet.

“We know that with the right support, these families can succeed,” says Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “With changing funding priorities at the federal level and intense competition in San Diego’s rental market, these parents rely on transitional housing to build their resume and their income, so they can rent an apartment of their own.”

Reports consistently show that the program exceeded its targets with 70 percent of parents and children who exit this program each year entering permanent housing without any further rental assistance.

For over two decades, HUD has provided a portion of the Family Living Center’s funding for operations. As the federal agency continues to adjust its funding priorities toward permanent housing, Father Joe’s Villages says local support is critical to providing the full spectrum of housing and services – short-term shelter, permanent housing and supportive services – needed to end San Diego’s homelessness and housing crisis.

Deacon Jim says that especially in light of San Diego’s current housing shortage, short-term housing like the Family Living Center is often a necessary incremental step toward stability for individuals and families working to re-establish themselves and find permanent housing.

“While creating housing is the key to helping more people off the streets for good, the solution to homelessness cannot be one-size-fits-all,” said Deacon Jim. “Each person working to overcome homelessness needs a unique combination of housing and services in order to achieve stability.”

Father Joe’s Villages sees that with a full range of support – including short-term housing, permanent housing and supportive services – families experiencing homelessness can transform their lives. In addition to housing programs like the Family Living Center, Father Joe’s Villages will bring 2,000 new units of much-needed affordable housing to San Diego by breathing new life into unused lots and overlooked buildings with its new initiative, Turning the Key.

As a nonprofit organization, Father Joe’s Villages continues to rely on all types of community support. To find ways to get involved and to donate to help end homelessness in San Diego, visit neighbor.org or call 1-800-HOMELESS to help ensure that all the people of San Diego shine.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, Father Joe’s Villages sees that each person can rediscover hope and transform their lives. To address the complex needs of people who are homeless, the organization provides housing for more than 2,000 each night, along with healthcare, addiction treatment, education, job training and therapeutic childcare. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. To view Father Joe’s Villages short film representing the journey to overcome homelessness, “Shine,” click here. For more information, please visit https://www.neighbor.org/.

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SAN DIEGO, May 11, 2018 – On May 5, local philanthropists made lasting investments to create a brighter future for homeless children in San Diego. Guests gathered for Saturday’s gala at the U.S. Grant Hotel and raised more than $900,000 – a record-breaking investment to support Father Joe’s Villages’ Therapeutic Childcare Center and other services for children affected by homelessness.

“Father Joe’s Villages believes that every child, regardless of their circumstances, should have a bright future full of promise and possibility,” says Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “It was clear that the hundreds of generous individuals who came together at that gala share this belief. The funds raised at this event are critical to providing the opportunity to thrive that these children need.”

Father Joe’s Villages provides housing, essential services and enrichment activities that ensure that families and children have the tools they need to break the cycle of homelessness. These tools include housing, nutritious meals, medical and dental care, employment services, specialized behavioral healthcare, childcare and so much more.

The 2018 Children’s Charity Gala, Up, Up and Away, recognized four long-time supporters of Father Joe’s Villages’ mission to end homelessness with awards:

• Qualcomm Co-Founder Franklin Antonio received the Father Joe’s Villages award for his Public Lunch Program, providing community members in need a nutritious meal daily.
• Students from Cathedral Catholic High School were honored with the Bishop Maher Award for serving meals monthly for more than seven years.
• Students from St. Augustine High School also received the Bishop Maher Award for 18 years of volunteer work at Father Joe’s Villages.
• Jim Mulvaney Sr. and the Mulvaney family received the Founder’s Award for their continuation of Jim Mulvaney Sr.’s legacy as the first chairman of the board. Jim Jr. serves on the board, and the entire family supports their neighbors in need.

The gala’s program featured a VIP reception, silent and live auctions, along with a hosted bar and live music by Atomic Groove.

Homelessness is a growing issue that affects children across the nation. The San Diego County Office of Education reported in February 2018 that 23,854 students were homeless last year in San Diego County — a record high and a 4.7 percent increase from the previous year. That means the students at some point during the school year were living unsheltered, in transitional housing or shelters, in motels or hotels, or most frequently, doubled up in a home with another family.

Each year, Father Joe’s Villages relies on private donors including the Children’s Charity Gala attendees to contribute more than $1 million to ensure children and families have access to life-changing services in the Therapeutic Childcare Program.

To support these critical programs, please visit neighbor.org/donate. For more information on services at Father Joe’s Villages, please click here.

ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As one of San Diego’s largest homeless services providers, Father Joe’s Villages sees that each person can rediscover hope and transform their life. To address the complex needs of people who are homeless, the organization provides housing for more than 2,000 each night, along with healthcare, addiction treatment, education, job training and therapeutic childcare. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. To view Father Joe’s Villages short film representing the journey to overcome homelessness, “Shine,” click here. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org/.

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San Diego Bridge Shelter

SAN DIEGO, January 4, 2018 – This morning, Father Joe’s Villages opened a City of San Diego Temporary Bridge Shelter for families and single women experiencing homelessness. Located at the intersection of 14th and Commercial Streets, this shelter accommodates up to 150 individuals, including men, women and children who are part of a family as well as single women. It will remain at Father Joe’s Villages’ campus until November 2018, through a contract with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC), which administers the City of San Diego’s homeless shelters and services programs. In early 2019, Father Joe’s Villages expects to begin construction on a permanent supportive housing facility at the same site.

“As we prepare to build permanent homes to address the shortage of affordable housing for those who are homeless, setting up this temporary shelter on our available lot is simply the right thing to do,” says Deacon Jim Vargas, President & CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “Our community’s homelessness crisis demands both forward thinking and immediate action.”

The City of San Diego Bridge Shelter at Father Joe’s Villages’ 14th and Commercial site is one of three locations approved by Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the San Diego City Council since September. Bridge shelters are an innovative approach to helping the most vulnerable members of the homeless population. They provide temporary relief from the streets with a stable environment and supportive services, with the goal of helping people find permanent housing. The individuals and families residing at Father Joe’s Villages’ site will gain access to the array of programs on the homeless services provider’s adjacent campus, including its medical clinic, employment center and therapeutic childcare program. At the shelter itself, children will enjoy a play area, and parents will meet with housing navigators who will work to connect them with permanent places to call home.

“I have been homeless for five years with my five kids,” said Ashley Baker, who is moving into the bridge shelter today. “It has been hard to keep my kids together and stay strong. This shelter is a new start for me. It has given me hope.”

As announced earlier this year, Father Joe’s Villages’ 14th and Commercial site will also serve as one location for Turning the Key, the organization’s initiative to bring 2,000 new units of much-needed affordable housing to San Diego by breathing new life into unused lots and overlooked buildings. To make way for construction on the permanent housing, the temporary shelter at 14th and Commercial will be removed no later than November 2018, under the terms of the shelter contract with SDHC.

Father Joe’s Villages anticipates that people will begin moving into its new affordable housing at this location as early as the first part of 2021. Out of more than 400 housing units at the site, 270 will be reserved for individuals who are chronically homeless, while the remaining units will go to formerly homeless veterans, individuals and families.

As a nonprofit organization, Father Joe’s Villages continues to rely on community support. To find ways to get involved and to donate to help end homelessness in San Diego, visit neighbor.org or call 1-800-HOMELESS to help ensure that all of San Diego shines.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As one of San Diego’s largest homeless services providers, Father Joe’s Villages sees that each person can rediscover hope and transform their life. To address the complex needs of people who are homeless, the organization provides housing for more than 2,000 each night and, up to 3,000 meals every day, along with healthcare, addiction treatment, education, job training and therapeutic childcare. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. To view Father Joe’s Villages short film representing the journey to overcome homelessness, “Shine,” click here. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.

The post Bridge Shelter Opens for Families Who Are Homeless appeared first on Father Joes Villages.

To view and share the film, please click here.

“San Diego is in the midst of a homelessness crisis, and to many in our community, it appears that the end of homelessness is out of reach. At Father Joe’s Villages, we see the future differently,” says Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “It’s our hope that viewers will see what we see every day: that a bright future is possible for everyone given the right services and support.”

The animated film takes place in a world of minerals and gems. It portrays Nicoal, a lump of coal ignored by the others and left alone in the cold and rain. Just when all hope seems lost, compassionate neighbors from Father Joe’s Villages welcome and embrace Nicoal compressing her with their respect and kindness. With this support from Father Joe’s Villages, Nicoal transforms into her true self – a brilliant diamond.

The homeless services provider brought the film to life with the resources and creative vision of i.d.e.a, a San Diego-based integrated marketing agency. i.d.e.a. conceptualized and coordinated the production of Shine with the creative geniuses at Dallas-based animation studio Reel FX, whose projects include Golden Globe-nominated The Book of Life, and short films, immersive rides and commercials for Despicable Me and Ice Age, to name a few.

“I wanted to direct the short story because it’s so meaningful,” says Barrett Lewis, creative director at ReelFX. “I think all creative people hope that their work can contribute to something that makes a difference in the world and crafting a unique and heartfelt narrative about how Father Joe’s Villages helps solve homelessness was that project for me.”

The film Shine is a signature element of a larger ongoing initiative, “We See.” In partnership with i.d.e.a., Father Joe’s Villages is leading this campaign to reshape how San Diegans perceive homelessness.

i.d.e.a.’s chief relationships officer, Jon Bailey continued, “Like most people, we are deeply troubled by the rising homeless issues in San Diego and across the U.S. When we were introduced to the team at Father Joe’s Villages and learned about their incredible mission and vision, we felt an instant emotional connection and desire to help them tell their story as widely as possible. As a B Corporation, it’s in our corporate DNA to help our community and its residents, and we are truly honored to provide our talents to a project with such heart and positive outcomes.”

According to Father Joe’s Villages, the film will bring a new kind of attention to San Diego’s homelessness crisis, helping people to see the issue of homelessness in a new light. To organize a film viewing with your community group, please contact victoria.williams@neighbor.org. To view the film, click here. To make a donation and help people find the potential within, click here.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As one of San Diego’s largest homeless services providers, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for 67 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s Villages provides housing for nearly 1,900 each night and prepares up to 3,000 meals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes more than 200 children and over 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s Villages offers solutions to address the complex needs of people who are homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end homelessness in San Diego County. To this end they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and therapeutic childcare in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.

ABOUT I.D.E.A.
i.d.e.a. is an award-winning integrated marketing company and Certified B Corporation that moves people, products and culture through its nine core disciplines: strategy, creative, design, reputation, social media, digital, brand management, media and brand purpose. i.d.e.a. has sought out courageous clients who trust in its ability to deliver exceptional results year after year. The company has worked with large local, regional, and national brands, and these innovative campaigns continue to be nationally recognized and awarded with top honors at the industry’s leading award ceremonies. i.d.e.a. is located at 444 W. Beech Street in downtown San Diego, CA. For more information, visit www.theideabrand.com, like i.d.e.a. on Facebook, and follow along on Instagram and Twitter.

ABOUT REEL FX
Reel FX develops and produces award-winning animated films, virtual reality experiences, mobile/interactive content, live-venue projects, and commercials. Based out of Dallas, Texas and Santa Monica, California, the company has 23 years of experience working with studio partners like Fox, Warner Bros., DreamWorks Animation and Universal Studios as well as national advertising agencies and global brands. Reel FX Animation Studios’ slate includes the Golden Globe–nominated The Book of Life with 20th Century Fox and Free Birds with Relativity Media. Reel FX Commercial, the studio’s turn-key short-form division, crafts a variety of broadcast and digital content, music videos and themed attractions. The company has developed a wide range of world-class VR interactive experiences and 360ş narrative content for innovative brands, such as 20th Century Fox, Acura, American Express, AT&T, GE, GMC, Lionsgate, Porsche, Samsung, and the U.S. Air Force, etc. and for all leading VR headset platforms including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard. In 2017, Reel FX launched a new division, “Flight School,” with Academy and Emmy Award-winning creative leadership and the fundamental mission of telling great stories in VR and across emerging tech platforms.

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Today, Father Joe’s Villages announced its enterprising plan to bring much-needed housing to San Diego by breathing new life into unused lots and overlooked buildings, including the transformation of motels into apartments. Through Turning the Key: Unlocking a Brighter San Diego, Father Joe’s Villages will add 2,000 units of affordable housing dedicated to people overcoming homelessness. The organization says its plan will address the largest barrier to solving homelessness in San Diego.

“With over 1,000 people sleeping on the streets of downtown on any given night, now is the time to forge bold solutions,” said Father Joe’s Villages President and CEO Deacon Jim Vargas. “San Diego currently has the lowest rental vacancy rate in the country, and the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is over $1,700. Our homelessness crisis will not be resolved until we create more housing that people can afford. We see how transforming underused lots and disregarded motels into thousands of housing units across the county can be that foundation for change.”

Father Joe’s Villages’ Turning the Key incorporates sites throughout San Diego, with the majority (approximately two-thirds) of the units outside of downtown. The organization expects the 2,000 units to provide homes to approximately 2,500-plus people as follows:

• Motel renovation in areas outside of downtown (1240 total units at locations to be announced later)
• 5th & Ash (175 units)
• 14th & Commercial (418 units)
• 17th & Commercial (125 units)
• Bishop Maher Center at 15th & Commercial (42 units)

Through Turning the Key’s new apartments, Father Joe’s Villages says it will help more seniors, veterans, families, transition-age youth, people with disabilities and people with limited income. Vargas adds that a key component to the program’s long-term success includes pairing a place to live with tailored services to help individuals maintain housing stability. This means that Father Joe’s Villages’ new housing will provide comprehensive supportive services to ensure that people have what they need to stay housed.

“Through 67 years of helping people who are homeless in San Diego, Father Joe’s Villages has found that unlocking solutions requires more than just a place to call home,” says Ed Witt, a chairman of the Father Joe’s Villages board of directors and owner of Witt Lincoln. Vargas adds, “Sleeping on the street is often the final leg of an otherwise complicated path of unpredictable circumstances. Turning the Key makes easily accessible supportive services a core component to tackling these underlying issues and creates lasting self-sufficiency for each individual.”

Turning the Key will be funded through a public-private partnership that leverages existing public dollars and private contributions. The organization has already identified more than 75 percent of the $531 million needed to complete the construction. Eventually, says Vargas, the unique model will generate funds that Father Joe’s Villages will use to run the services associated with the housing.

Father Joe’s Villages expects to start renovations on some motel properties this year and to break ground on new buildings in 2018. The organization anticipates that people will begin moving into the converted motel units as early as mid-2018.

As a nonprofit organization, Father Joe’s Villages continues to rely on community support. To find ways to get involved and to donate to help end homelessness in San Diego, visit neighbor.org or call 1-800-HOMELESS to help ensure that all the people of San Diego shine.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As one of San Diego’s largest homeless services providers, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for 67 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s prepares up to 3,000 meals and works with nearly 1,900 individuals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes over 200 children and over 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s offers solutions to address the complex needs of the homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end homelessness in San Diego County. To this end, they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and child development in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit https://www.neighbor.org.

The post Father Joe’s Villages to Combat Homeless Crisis with Motel Makeovers appeared first on Father Joes Villages.

In order to address the needs of San Diego’s homeless population in light of our region’s growing housing crisis, Father Joe’s Villages announces four new scattered-site permanent housing programs. According to President and CEO Deacon Jim Vargas, the organization is investing in more permanent housing to address the largest barrier to solving homelessness in our community – a shortage of housing options. Father Joe’s Villages is also re-focusing existing programs to maintain its most effective services to end homelessness and retain financial viability.

“A growing part of San Diego’s homeless crisis is the lack of permanent affordable housing – our city has a vacancy rate of nearly zero,” says Deacon Jim. “We’re leading the way by investing in nationwide best practices to solve homelessness while remaining committed to addressing each person’s unique barriers to achieving self-sufficiency.”

The new permanent housing programs run by Father Joe’s Villages include services to address the challenging needs of veterans, young adults, single men and women, and San Diego’s most chronically homeless individuals. To accomplish this increase in permanent housing, some of the beds that currently provide transitional housing are being repurposed. The organization will add permanent housing for single adults at its Commercial and 15^th property and for young adults ages 18-24 at the Toussaint Center at 5^th & Ash. Additional individuals will also be served in scattered-site housing throughout San Diego county. The agency will continue to serve teens at its St. Vincent de Paul Village campus in the East Village. These changes allow Father Joe’s Villages to prioritize solutions that meet the long-term needs of San Diego’s homeless individuals.

“These modifications are part of our long-term vision to invest in diverse strategies that most effectively, and permanently, get people off the streets,” says Deacon Jim. “With increased permanent housing options, Father Joe’s Villages will be better able to utilize housing and supportive services to help individuals and families secure a stable future.”

Ed Witt, a Chairman of the Father Joe’s Villages Board of Directors and owner of Witt Lincoln, adds that, given the increased severity of homelessness in San Diego County, Father Joe’s Villages needs financial support from the community. “We must work together to invest in the future of San Diego,” he says. “Donations from local businesses, foundations and individuals are the only way to make these critical programs possible.”

Father Joe’s Villages’ shifts in programming are part of an ongoing strategy to focus more on the most pressing needs of San Diego’s homeless. In total, the changes will provide permanent housing for 225 more people and convert 134 transitional housing beds, bringing the agency’s total offerings to 947 permanent housing units, 214 transitional housing beds and 488 interim housing beds. The organization is working with each client affected by the changes individually to ensure they secure the best possible services and housing. No staff will lose their jobs as part of the program adjustments. Employees changing roles within the company will fill positions created by the new programs.

As a nonprofit organization, Father Joe’s Villages relies on community support. Visit neighbor.org to find ways get involved and donate to help end homelessness in San Diego.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for over 66 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s prepares up to 3,000 meals and works with more than 2,000 individuals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes over 200 children and more than 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s Villages offers solutions to address the complex needs of people who are homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end the cycle of homelessness for the nearly 8,700 homeless individuals in San Diego County. To this end they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and child development in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.

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Twenty stories above San Diego, sports enthusiasts and challenge-minded individuals will climb stairs for a cause on June 18. Father Joe’s Villages’ Fifth Annual TOWERthon will dare participants to climb as many flights as possible to raise money for homeless youth at Toussaint Academy. Appropriate for most ages and abilities, the event takes place in one of downtown San Diego’s most attractive and environmentally friendly skyscrapers.

“TOWERthon wraps fundraising, physical fitness and healthy competition into a 20-story vertical challenge,” said Deacon Jim Vargas, Father Joe’s Villages’ president and CEO. “Best of all, participants are climbing for a cause. Toussaint Academy has provided more than 1,100 homeless youth with a stable environment to grow into successful young adults.”

The TOWERthon is a professionally timed endurance event with separate staircases for competitive and non-competitive climbers. Aid stations along both staircases will provide hydration and assure the safety of all participants. Elevators are available for emergencies and to return to ground level at the completion of the event.

Proceeds from the event will support Toussaint Academy San Diego, a haven for homeless and at-risk teens since 1992. At Toussaint, teens live and learn in a supportive group setting, gaining the life skills necessary to graduate high school and become self-sufficient San Diegans.

TOWERthon takes place at 550 Corporate Center, located at 550 West C Street, San Diego, CA 92101. For more information and to register, visit www.TOWERthon.com.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES
As San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for 65 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s prepares up to 3,000 meals and works with more than 1,700 individuals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes over 200 children and over 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s offers solutions to address the complex needs of the homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end the cycle of homelessness for the more than 8,700 homeless individuals in San Diego County. To this end they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and child development in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.

The post Father Joe’s Villages to Host Fifth Annual TOWERthon on June 18 appeared first on Father Joes Villages.

Father Joe’s Villages takes you on a trip to Cuba for its 2016 Children’s Charity Gala: A Night in Old Havana presented by Witt Lincoln. The island getaway will take place on Saturday, May 21 at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe and raise money for Father Joe’s Villages’ youth support programs, including therapeutic childcare services for children ages zero to 12.

“Children who are homeless are four times as likely to have developmental delays and twice as apt to repeat a grade in school. Over half will not finish high school,” says Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “By offering programs like those through our therapeutic childcare and Toussaint Academy, we provide young people the tools they need to help prevent homelessness in their adult lives.”

Proceeds from the gala help these youth obtain the tools they need to break the cycle of homelessness, including safe housing, medical and dental services, mental health support, nutritious meals, solid guidance toward life and scholastic goals and opportunities for their parents to work toward self-sufficiency.

The evening will begin with a VIP reception at 5 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. social hour and silent auction, with hosted bar and cigar lounge. Honorary chairs Kimberly Hunt and Billy Ray Smith will preside over an exquisite dinner and program, including a live auction and dancing to San Diego’s favorite band, Atomic Groove.

At the event, Father Joe’s Villages will also make two special award presentations. Jerome’s Furniture and the Navarra family will be honored with the Pierre Toussaint Award. Danny Martinez, a UFC champion, will be presented with the Father Joe’s Villages Award, which recognizes the honorees’ contributions to Father Joe’s mission to end homelessness, one life at a time.

An estimated 1.6 million kids in America are homeless, and the number is growing. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that there is 550,0000 unaccompanied youth up to age 24 and 380,000 of those are under the age of 18, 2,000 of them in San Diego. Most come from families in poverty where stable housing was already in jeopardy, are fleeing abuse-physical, sexual, emotional, domestic violence, or neglect, are leaving child welfare services or juvenile justice system or are dealing with homophobia within the family of origin.

Tickets and sponsorships are available here or by calling 1-800-HOMELESS.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for 65 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s prepares up to 3,000 meals and works with more than 1,700 individuals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes over 200 children and over 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s offers solutions to address the complex needs of the homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end the cycle of homelessness for the more than 8,700 homeless individuals in San Diego County. To this end they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and child development in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.

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Father Joe’s Villages wants to treat you to a night of fine wine, delicious hors d’oeuvres and stunning panoramic views. The third annual Taste of the Village, sponsored by Banner Bank, will take place on Thursday, March 3 atop Father Joe’s 16th and Commercial building. The event will give an insider’s glimpse into the homeless services provider’s operations and serve as an opportunity to meet with the not-for-profit’s staff, board members and CEO.

“Just like families rally around delicious food every night of the week, our Taste of the Village will provide an opportunity to our family of supporters to connect over food,” said Deacon Jim Vargas. “We’re proud to give an insider’s glimpse into St. Vincent de Paul Village and our work to end homelessness, which we consider a goal and our sacred obligation.”

Last year’s Taste of the Village featured a tour of Father Joe’s Villages’ permanent housing facility. The organization treated guests to a gourmet meal designed by the Freddie Evarkiou Culinary Arts Program students and a view of downtown from atop Father Joe’s permanent housing facility. This year will expand many of those facets and provide a special interactive tour of St. Vincent de Paul Village—an experience chronicling the path of a homeless neighbor as s/he makes his/her way back to self-reliance.

San Diego is home to more than 8,700 homeless men, women and families, making it the fifth largest population of homeless in the U.S. and the third largest for homeless veterans. In 2014, Father Joe’s Villages provided services to nearly 15,000 people, served up to 3,000 meals daily to the homeless and working poor and helped seven out of 10 people served by Village programs to exit to permanent housing.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online or by calling (619) 446-2116.

For more information on other services and programs, visit www.neighbor.org.

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ABOUT FATHER JOE’S VILLAGES

As San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, Father Joe’s Villages has been empowering people to achieve self-sufficiency for 65 years. What started as a small chapel serving San Diego’s impoverished has grown into a cutting-edge provider of effective housing programs and services. Father Joe’s prepares up to 3,000 meals and works with more than 1,500 individuals every day—from infants and adolescents to adults and seniors. This includes over 200 children and over 200 military veterans. As an industry thought-leader, Father Joe’s offers solutions to address the complex needs of the homeless, regardless of age, race, culture or beliefs. The organization’s primary goal is to transform lives and end the cycle of homelessness for the more than 8,700 homeless individuals in San Diego County. To this end they provide housing, healthcare, food, clothing, education, job training and child development in an internationally modeled “one-stop-shop” approach. This mission is made possible only through the efforts of compassionate staff, dedicated volunteers, and generous public and private donors. For more information, please visit: https://www.neighbor.org.

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