Mayor of Vista and HomeAidSan DiegoRecognizeNorthCountyLifeline

SAN DIEGO –  March 27, 2013 – More than 50 percent ofSan Diego youth who age out of foster care will be homeless after two years. Providing much-needed support to help build self-reliance, North County Lifeline’s LifeSpring House opens to provide a home, hope, and life skills to former foster youth ages 18 to 24 as they transition to independent living.

What:               Ribbon Cutting and Open House Reception
When:               Monday, April 1, 2013
Time:                1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Where:             302 N.Indiana, Ave.,Vista,CA92084
Who:                Mayor of Vista Judy Ritter along with representatives from North County Lifeline and HomeAid San Diego will be available for interviews. Tours of the home are available.

Annually, 300 young adults age out of the foster care system in San Diegoand less than 30 percent have the support or the skills needed for independent living. With not enough transitional housing beds available in northern San DiegoCountyto meet the need, North County Lifeline partnered with HomeAid San Diego to build the LifeSpring House, which will offer 5 beds with the plan to reach 10 beds by May 2013.

Through its network of building and real estate industry professionals, HomeAid San Diego facilitated the renovation of the new facility, and secured donations and resources from Hallmark Communities, BIA Cares, General Electric, Schlage and others.

Additionally, County Supervisor Bill Horn and the Leichtag Foundation provided generous support. North County Lifeline is still accepting donations for furniture and operational expense. For information about donating, please call Shannon Stubblefield at (760) 842-6257 or sstubblefield@nclifeline.org.

About North County Lifeline
North County Lifeline’s mission is to “build self-reliance among youth, individuals and families through problem solving, skill-building and accessible community-based services.”  Organized in 1969, North County Lifeline, Inc. is a non-profit human services organization that offers a wide range of services to the people of NorthSan DiegoCounty. For more information please visit www.nclifeline.org or call (760) 726-4900.

About HomeAid San Diego
By leveraging relationships within the building and real estate industries, HomeAid San Diego builds and maintains facilities that help homeless San Diegans get back on their feet. HomeAid San Diego’s support of transitional homeless facilities ensures individuals and families who experience homelessness have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and independence, while avoiding the instability of long-term homelessness. For more information on HomeAid San Diego, visit www.homeaidsd.org or call (858) 793-6292

Contact:
Price Adams
HomeAid San Diego
714/313-4636
pa@nstpr.com

County supervisor to receive HomeAid San Diego’s ‘Humanitarian Award’

Roberts recognized for distinguished service toward alleviating human suffering.

Ron Roberts was once homeless. It isn’t a topic that the distinguished member of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors brings up in casual conversations, but it isn’t something he hides from either. Its part of what’s made him the person he is today – and with his continued support of HomeAid San Diego why he is the unanimous choice to be awarded their inaugural ‘Humanitarian Award’ at the “Raise the Roof” Celebration, Thursday, April 7, to be held at Senior Community Centers’ Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center downtown.

“Neither the event honoree nor the venue is accidental,” states Mark Read, a former HomeAid San Diego president and the current fundraising chair. “The Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center is one of the ways we are helping to reduce homelessness. Supervisor Roberts’ genuine humanitarian spirit is something he’s acted on. The message is loud and clear: together we make a difference.”

Since it’s founding in 2002, HomeAid San Diego has contributed over $3,000,000 of in- kind building services to complete nine projects, worth an estimated $15,000,000. Hundreds of friends, families and neighbors are served in these facilities both today and far into the future. That’s why the ‘Raise the Roof’ motto is, “We’re celebrating tonight so that others are sheltered tomorrow.”

Supervisor Roberts helps HomeAid San Diego define transitional homelessness in personal, down-to-earth terms. “When my family first arrived here – I was just a kid – we were homeless and appreciated a helping hand,” Roberts calmly recalls. As a supervisor, Roberts now makes decisions on how millions of tax dollars are spent on health and human services that alleviate suffering and improve the quality-of-life for all San Diego citizens. “HomeAid San Diego makes such a positive impact on our community and helps local government stretch our pennies. It’s an honor to support HomeAid San Diego’s shelter projects over the years to help fight homelessness. Everyone deserves a safe place to call home.”

The “Raise the Roof” Celebration expects to earn the group about $25,000 from ticket sales, silent auction donations and sponsorships. The $50 donation available online (www.homeaidsd.org) lets homelessness advocates enjoy a private, sophisticated cocktail hour with exquisite foods, wines and beers from West Steak & Seafood Restaurant, Bistro West, Sbicca, The Barrel Room, Yanni’s Bistro, Water’s Fine Catering, Fallbrook Winery and Stone Brewing. Following a fine wine and gifts silent auction, the event highlight will be Supervisor Roberts accepting the first-ever HomeAid San Diego ‘Humanitarian Award’ recognizing his support and exceptional humanitarian leadership to reduce human suffering.

“Ron Roberts is really a hero when it comes to helping the homeless,” states Barbara Hunter, HomeAid San Diego board president. “That alone is worthy of very high praise. But the ‘Humanitarian Award’ is about more than fighting homelessness. It also recognizes distinguished service toward alleviating human suffering. Over the years in partnership with HomeAid San Diego, Ron Roberts has come to exemplify that ideal for all of us.”

HomeAid San Diego is expecting over 200 of their friends and supporters at their “Raise the Roof” Celebration, Thursday, April 7 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, at 1525 4th Avenue, San Diego. Tickets are $50 and $75 at-the-door.

October 28, 2008 – HomeAid Reaches New Milestone: More Than 100,000 Homeless Served

Despite Difficult Economy, Builders and Their Trade Partners Continue to Give Back to Their Communities by Building Homeless Housing Facilities Across the U.S.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – October 28, 2008 – HomeAid, a leading national non-profit provider of housing for today’s homeless, proudly announced that the organization has attained a very significant growth milestone: more than 100,000 homeless men, women and children have been served in HomeAid’s 170 nationwide multi-unit homeless housing facilities.  This milestone holds special significance because it truly reflects the HomeAid model of marshaling the resources of the homebuilding industry to build and donate housing to service provider organizations that serve individuals and families who are temporarily homeless.

Celebrating its 20th year of helping America’s homeless population, HomeAid has grown to 22 nationwide chapters in 16 states.  The organization’s 170 multi-unit homeless housing facilities provide more than 4,200 beds each night to serve homeless families and individuals, and represent more than $120 million in project construction costs.  As homeless men, women and children graduate from homelessness in HomeAid-built facilities into affordable housing, these beds open for a new occupant to begin a recovery process and become self-sufficient.  The resulting “multiplier effect” for each bed accounts for the 100,000-person-served milestone.

“Our model involves builders and their trade partners donating their time, resources, materials and expertise to construct multi-unit homeless housing facilities,” said Jeffrey Slavin, CEO of HomeAid.  “Being able to help more than 100,000 homeless individuals, a large percentage of whom are children, makes a very powerful statement about the generosity of the homebuilding industry, especially during these difficult economic times.”

“HomeAid enables builders to do what they do best: build.  Sometimes, a builder or trade partner may not be able to contribute money, but they can certainly give their time and expertise,” said Bert Selva, president and CEO of Shea Homes.  “The payback is to help someone who is homeless in his or her transition, and, person-by-person, you start making a difference in the world.”

According to Slavin, HomeAid’s facilities have seen an average contribution of labor and materials of 61 percent of the total direct construction cost of the structure.  “This donation rate enables a homeless service provider who is given a facility to realize a leveraging effect, when all project costs are included, of more than twice the hard dollars invested in the project,” noted Slavin.  “This leveraging effect has enabled our service providers to add capacity to help their communities’ homeless population become productive members of society.”

With another 55 projects in development across all of HomeAid’s chapters, the organization expects that the number of people served and total construction amounts will dramatically increase in the next few years.  “As new chapters are added and our organization’s capacity grows to help other non-profit service providers, the ultimate benefactors will be the nation’s 3.5 million homeless families and individuals to whom HomeAid represents an opportunity to rebuild their lives,” said Slavin.

August 25 – September 14, 2008 – HomeAid San Diego and Child Abuse
Prevention Foundation Team Up on Padres Playhouse at Petco Park

San Diego, CA –   This ‘back to school’ season HomeAid San Diego and Child Abuse Prevention Foundation, two teams that are joining in the fight to help eliminate homelessness and child abuse in San Diego, are offering a custom playhouse to online bidders in support of their cause.  This opportunity also features another team, San Diego’s own Padres, and a unique and fully functional Playhouse built for the ultimate Padres fan.

Pardee Homes has joined HomeAid San Diego and Child Abuse Prevention Foundation to create a Padres Playhouse that includes a flat screen television, baseball-themed and “gym locker” furniture, a radio/CD player and a small study/seating nook with baseball accessories. The Playhouse will be on display at PETCO Park for 13 home games between August 25 and September 14, 2008.  During this stretch the Padres take on each and every division rival.

The Padres Playhouse is available for purchase through an online auction where Padre’s fans and interested buyers can bid on the Playhouse at  http://capfsd.kintera.org/playhouse. The online auction will be complete at the end of October when the lucky winner of this one-of-a-kind Padre’s treasure will be announced.

Please join HomeAid San Diego, Child Abuse Prevention Foundation and the San Diego Padres as we strive to provide dignified housing for our temporarily homeless citizens and advocate for our young children to help break the cycle of child abuse.

Homelessness is epidemic in San Diego. An estimated 10,000-15,000 people are without a home on any given night in our county. Nearly one-third of foster children become homeless in the 12- months after they turn 18 years old.  HomeAid San Diego and the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation have a strong partnership working to change this, to improve our community for all of our citizens, including those who are currently homeless and the abused and neglected children who ended up in foster care through no fault of their own.

HomeAid San Diego builds multi-unit housing to serve temporarily homeless families and individuals.  The housing is built using skilled labor and materials – a significant portion of which is generously donated by San Diego’s real estate community.  In San Diego, where over 10,000 individuals are homeless each night, HomeAid San Diego has completed seven projects and has one project under construction, and others in various stages of development.  The projects are donated to local nonprofit charities such as Child Abuse Prevention Foundation, Catholic Charities, Interfaith Community Services, South Bay Community Services, San Pasqual Academy, and Community Resource Center for them to operate after they are completed.  HomeAid San Diego, one of 22 chapters of HomeAid America, Inc., was founded in March 2002 with the support of local building and real estate industry organizations.  HomeAid is the nation’s largest provider of housing for the temporarily homeless. To date, over 150 housing projects have been built nationally with another 62 in development. These projects provide shelter for more than 80,000 temporarily homeless individuals.

The Child Abuse Prevention Foundation was founded in 1981 to break the cycle of child abuse and is well-known for raising $12 million to build the Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC), San Diego’s only emergency shelter for children, which has served over 40,000 children in crisis since opening in 1994.  Beyond providing support to the children who come to stay at PCC, CAPF has established a continuum of services available to those youth in order to provide them with what their parents will not.

The Foundation educates and advocates on behalf of the 7,000 children (on any given day) in San Diego who cannot live safely at home, while working to prevent abuse from affecting even more children.  CAPF gives them the tools, opportunities and guidance they need to address the abuse they have suffered and grow into healthy, happy and successful adult members of our community, breaking the cycle of child abuse.

May 15th, 2008 – HomeAid San Diego’s Sixth Annual “Taste of North County”

North County’s finest restaurants to feature an array of cuisine and wines

San Diego, CA – A “Taste of North County,” a special evening celebrating HomeAid San Diego’s six-year anniversary and featuring outstanding cuisine and wines from North County restaurants, will take place on Thursday, May 15th from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pardee Homes’ Derby Hill models in Carmel Country Highlands.  Proceeds from “Taste of North County” will support HomeAid San Diego’s efforts to provide homes for temporarily homeless individuals and families in San Diego County by building and renovating multi-unit housing where they live while rebuilding their lives.

“This event provides HomeAid San Diego the opportunity to showcase its accomplishments of the past six years, highlight the start of its newest projects and also feature the wonderful cuisine and wine selections from some of North San Diego County’s most renowned restaurants,” said Mitch Ellner, board president of HomeAid San Diego.

HomeAid San Diego is anticipating over 300 guests at the 2008 “Taste of North County.” Supervisor Ron Roberts and beneficiaries from San Pasqual Academy and Casa de Amparo will address the guests.  During the evening, attendees may tour Pardee’s Derby Hill model homes featuring Pardee’s Living SmartTM program.

The restaurants slated to participate in “Taste of North County” include Cavaillon Restaurant, Pacifica Del Mar, Prime Chops – Specialty Meats & Seafood, Sbicca, Donovan’s, Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza, Elijah’s Restaurant, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, Venice Ristorante & Wine Bar, Waters Fine Catering of Solana Beach, Villa Capri, Yanni’s Bistro, Nothing bundt Cakes and San Diego Coffee Company. Wine tasting is provided compliments of Fallbrook Winery, Meritage Wine Market and The Barrel Room.

Cornerstone sponsors for the sixth annual “Taste of North County” are Pardee Homes, Newland Communities and Life is Good®, and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) – San Diego Chapter.  Individual tickets are $50 donation per person.  For more information about the event, please call (858) 646-4752 or visit www.homeaidsd.org.

HomeAid San Diego builds multi-unit housing to serve temporarily homeless families and individuals.  The housing is built using skilled labor and materials – a significant portion of which is generously donated by San Diego’s real estate community.  In San Diego, where over 10,000 individuals are homeless each night, HomeAid San Diego has completed six projects, has one project under construction, two planned to begin construction in 2008 and others in various stages of development.  The projects are donated to local nonprofit charities such as Child Abuse Prevention Foundation, Catholic Charities, Interfaith Community Services, South Bay Community Services, San Pasqual Academy, and Community Resource Center for them to operate after they are completed.  To be eligible for a HomeAid San Diego project, a charity must provide the services and support needed by residents to move beyond their current homelessness and transform their lives to stability.  HomeAid San Diego, one of 22 chapters of HomeAid America, Inc., was founded in March 2002 with the support of local building and real estate industry organizations.  HomeAid is the nation’s largest provider of housing for the temporarily homeless. To date, over 150 housing projects have been built nationally with another 62 in development. These projects provide shelter for more than 80,000 temporarily homeless individuals.

Standard Pacific Homes’ Team is Hard at Work on South Bay Shelter

Renovation of South Bay Community Services’ Victorian Heights kicked into high gear as Standard Pacific Homes and a team of thirty trade partners began a major renovation of the 36-bed shelter.  The interiors of all eight apartments in the complex were retrofitted with all new bathrooms, kitchens, flooring, electrical upgrades, doors and closets.  The exteriors were upgraded with new roofs, decking, windows, landscaping and a fresh coat of paint.  A new “Kid’s Clubhouse” was created out of three existing single car garage spaces.  The newly redesigned “Kids Clubhouse” features a homework and computer learning center, a play area for younger kids and a family counseling space.  New windows and doors were added to bring in natural light from the adjoining courtyard.  The $260,000 project was completed in the Spring of 2005.
Victorian Heights is a family reunification program for mothers who have completed substance abuse treatment programs, and who have previously experienced domestic violence and are fulfilling court-ordered family reunification plans.  Victorian Heights provides a safe, sober environment where families can focus on restoring relationships and plan for the future.  Located in National City, Victorian Heights is a program of South Bay Community Services, a 33-year old multi-service and community development organization whose mission is to provide children, youth and families in the South Bay area with services that reinforce the family’s role in our community and assist individuals to aspire realistically to lives of self-fulfillment.  South Bay community Services provides services, support and opportunities for more than 20,000 individuals and families each year.

Gifts in support of the renovation of Victorian Heights were received from Union Bank of California Foundation, The Home Depot and The Parker Foundation.  Victorian Heights is the fifth shelter partnership with homebuilders and organizations that serve the homeless that HomeAid San Diego created in the three years since the organization was established as the charitable arm of the San Diego Chapter of the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP).  The collaboration model used in all of HomeAid’s shelter development projects has resulted in the creation of 42 new and renovated shelter beds donated for San Diego County shelters that serve the temporarily homeless.

On October 8, 2004, a crowd of seventy community supporters, building industry leaders and elected officials joined with HomeAid San Diego and its project partners, Shea Homes San Diego and the Community Resource Center at the Encinitas City Hall to celebrate the completion of Carol’s House, a shelter for women and children who are escaping domestic violence.

Carol’s House was the fourth shelter project completed by HomeAid San Diego in the three years since the organization was established in March 2002, and the first to assist victims of domestic violence.  Although law enforcement agencies within the city and county of San Diego annually respond to over 20,0-00 calls of domestic violence, there are only 246 shelter beds available county-wide for victims and their children.  According to Mark Read, HomeAid San Diego’s then board president, “Carol’s House provided an ideal opportunity for our organization to tap the resources of the building and real estate industries to provide safe shelter for women and children in crisis.”  Carol’s House was generously supported by gifts from Price Charities and Union Bank of California Foundation.

Construction of Carol’s House was the culmination of many years of planning by the Community Resource Center, a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive social services to residents of San Diego’s north coastal region.  The agency’s former facility, built in the 1950’s, was overcrowded and in need of significant repairs and renovation.  Plans for Carol’s House came to life in October 2003 when HomeAid San Diego contacted the Community Resource Center with an offer to help.  HomeAid San Diego enlisted the participation of leading residential home builder, Shea Homes San Diego to take the lead as Builder Captain for the project.

Carol’s House was the second time in recent months that HomeAid and Shea Homes had teamed up to help families in need.  In early June, Shea Homes and HomeAid America, joined forces with the producers of Extreme Makeover:  Home Edition  to build a new home from the ground up in seven days for the Garay family in Los Angeles.

Drawing on the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” experience, Shea Homes’ San Diego division applied its expertise to complete a similar “rapid build” on Carol’s House.  With cooperation from the City of Encinitas, construction got underway in late August and was finished eighteen working days later.  Shea Homes San Diego and a team of over seventy-five trade partners and suppliers worked six days a week to build the twenty-four bed facility.  Nearly all of the labor and materials for the $350,000 project were donated by Shea Homes San Diego and its’ trade partners, subcontractors and suppliers.

According to Laurin Pause, Executive Director of the Community Resource Center, the welcoming, comfortable living spaces at the new shelter have made a huge difference for the clients.  With bed space for 24 women and children, Carol’s House more than doubles the capacity of the agency’s previous shelter.  Carol’s House features eight bedrooms, a fully remodeled kitchen complete with granite counter tops, a communal dining area, great rooms on both floors 3 ½ bathrooms and staff office space.  In addition to safe shelter, clients receive the services they need to live independent and self-sufficient lives.

HomeAid San Diego’s First Commercial Project

In partnership with the San Diego Chapter of The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), Shamrock Development and Burger Construction over saw the construction of Merle’s Place, HomeAid San Diego’s first shelter project that utilized the expertise and resources of commercial builders.  The project was a special opportunity for the NAIOP membership to rally its’ resources behind HomeAid San Diego and showcase the commercial industry’s commitment to assisting San Diego’s temporarily homeless.

Merle’s Place is managed by Interfaith Community Services, a non-profit organization that is a collaboration of over 400 faith congregations.  Interfaith Community Services provides a fully integrated continuum of care for impoverished, homeless and unemployed persons in North County.

Located in two warehouse bays immediately adjoining the agency’s Escondido headquarters, Merle’s Place provides 48 transitional shelter beds for North San Diego County’s most vulnerable homeless populations:  the disabled, senior citizens and veterans.  KMA Architecture & Engineering donated its’ services to design a shelter that features dormitory-style bedrooms, bathrooms and lounge areas.  Existing on-site amenities include a cafeteria, computer lab, job training and referrals, medical clinic, mail/messaging services, counseling and case management.

Merle’s Place was an ideal way for commercial builders to pool their collective resources and expertise to provide critically needed shelter beds for North County’s homeless.