Homeless Shelter Gears Up for Winter Opening Show your support at Soup for the Soul on November 19

 The Santa Clarita Valley’s organization aimed at helping the homeless, Bridge to Home, is gearing up for its seasonal opening in November, welcoming the community to the annual Soup for the Soul fundraiser.
Bridge to Home, which is the agency that runs the Santa Clarita Valley Emergency Winter Homeless Shelter, opens its doors to the public on November 21, and they’ll stay open until mid-March.
However, on Saturday, November 19, the Savia Community Center in Newhall is opening its doors to the community in support of Bridge to Home’s operations.
BTH officials used to host their annual Soup for the Soul fundraiser at the shelter that BTH officials run on Drayton Street.
However, the event has grown in size to where a larger space better accommodates the crowd, and the Savia Center’s community space allows for BTH to create a more cohesive program for the evening, as well as host a silent and regular auction.
The organization, which works to support those who have recently lost their home or are seeking shelter, provides much more than shelter for the homeless, said Dinesha Jackson, director of operations for Bridge to Home.
In addition to the shelter the agency provides through the beds in its homeless shelter, it also offers transitional services, which might be the biggest part of what the agency brings to the community.
“If anyone in particular is in need of support, or in need of maintaining housing or if they’re in need of help fighting an eviction, (we can help),” said Dinesha Jackson, director of operations for Bridge to Home.  “We can assist them by helping them connect with legal services, or if someone is just having a hard time, even with food. What we try to do is keep the home intact.”
The shelter works for the community, but also with community members and businesses.  Just recently, for example, Lowe’s hardware store chose the shelter for its makeover project, providing new floors, blinds and paint, as well as a few touches to make the Drayton Street shelter more welcoming to Bridge to Home clients, Jackson said.
“It definitely made it welcoming, and a comfortable place to spend the winter,” she added.
Now, the center is in the midst of preparing for its biggest fundraiser of the year, Soup for the Soul, which annually garners a significant boost to BTH’s fundraising efforts ahead of its winter opening.
“Soup for the Soul is a great way to support Bridge to Home, Santa Clarita’s year-round homeless support agency.  In addition to the Winter Shelter, Bridge to Home provides year-round support services including case management, housing navigation and regular medical and dental clinics,” explains Hunt Braly, president of the Board of Directors for Bridge to Home.
Everyone is invited to help those experiencing homelessness by attending the annual Soup for the Soul fundraising and awareness event on Saturday, November 19, beginning at 6 p.m.  The event will be held at the Savia Campus of Real Life Church, located at 23780 Newhall Avenue.
The Soup for the Soul event includes gourmet soups, hors d’oeuvres, desserts and entertainment, plus a live and silent auction.
The tickets are $50 per person and $500 for a table of 10.
For more information, please visit http://www.btohome.com. 

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