Friendship Shelter raises $456k to aid the homeless

A gala benefiting the Friendship Shelter raised more than $456,000 for the organization’s programs and services geared toward helping the homeless in Laguna Beach and Orange County.

The annual gala Oct. 30 at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point attracted 400 attendees and included live and silent auctions, dinner, and live entertainment from The Tijuana Dogs.

The night also included testimony from a former client who benefited from shelter services, and Executive Director Dawn Price announced plans for a new permanent supportive housing program for people ages 18 to 25 at a San Clemente apartment complex.

“In just a few weeks, Friendship Shelter will welcome 14 young people who are challenged by homelessness and mental illness to their new permanent home at Henderson House in San Clemente,” Price said in a statement. “This new program is just one of the ways Friendship Shelter is ending homelessness in our community, one person at a time.”

Laguna Beach residents Stephanie and Bob Mister, and John Beach, were honored for their leadership and many years of contributions to Friendship Shelter.

All funds raised will support Friendship Shelter’s mission to end homelessness through three core programs, including the organization’s flagship transitional housing facility on South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. There, 32 men and women receive three meals a day, a place to sleep and services to help them regain independence. Shelter staff also operate a 45-bed overnight shelter in Laguna Canyon.

Since it’s inception in 1987, more than 10,000 people have participated in a shelter program. To learn more, visit friendshipshelter.org.