Down-Home Party Raises $40,000 for Homeless

From the outside, the high-priced cars parked at the Crazy Horse Steak House on Saturday afternoon made it appear as if a convention of BMW and Mercedes-Benz dealers was taking place at the club.

But inside, more than 250 people gathered for an event benefiting people on the opposite end of the economic scale. Paying $150 a ticket, the luxury-car crowd packed the Santa Ana venue to hear singer, songwriter and actor Kris Kristofferson perform to benefit Orange County’s homeless.

Kristofferson participated in a five-hour barbecue and concert hosted by the Orange County Building Industry Assn. as part of its ongoing HomeAid program.

“This is turning out better than I thought it would,” said Julie Brinkerhoff, one of the organizers of the fund-raiser. “We were fortunate to get the likes of Kris Kristofferson, who is very committed to helping the homeless.”

Kristofferson has appeared at numerous benefit functions, including FarmAid and concerts for Vietnam veterans. However, in the last few years, the performer has become increasingly concerned about the nation’s growing homeless population.

“We can’t leave it up to the politicians to solve this problem,” Kristofferson said. “We, as people and concerned citizens, must take it on ourselves.”

Housing officials estimate the county could have from 8,000 to 10,000 homeless people, many of whom are children.

Organizers said that Saturday’s hoedown raised about $40,000 in donations, including $13,500 in corporate sponsorships. Since the program’s inception, more than $750,000 has been raised.

HomeAid was created last year by the BIA, which promised to build or renovate five shelters throughout the county. The nonprofit program pulls together donations of time, materials and money from the building industry.

Bart Hansen, vice chairman of HomeAid and principal of Shawntana Development, said he has been astounded by the positive response of the building industry to HomeAid. In addition, he said, HomeAid is proving to be such a success that building industry associations in San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are showing interest in the program.

So far, the proposed $1-million program has been responsible for construction of a $350,000 duplex in El Modena and the renovation of three shelters--Thomas House in Garden Grove, Interval House for abused women in unincorporated Midway City and Anchor House in San Clemente. The program also is sponsoring the partial reconstruction of the New Vista House, a shelter in Fullerton.

Mike Lennon, director of HomeAid, said the economic slowdown in the building industry may hamper future donations to the program, but he is hopeful that projects will continue.

“It could slow us down a bit,” he said. “But everyone is committed to this program. We all share a common cause: to help with the homeless in any way we can.”

Christine D. Reed, executive director of the region’s BIA and former director of the state Housing and Community Development Agency, said it is vital that the private sector get involved with this issue.