It had been four years since 63-year-old Leonard Mason had a place to call home. He is unable to work due to a disability and was having a hard time finding shelter with no consistent income. He ran the circuit of homeless shelters, staying at a half-dozen of them.
Mason’s lifestyle of insecurity finally came to an end in 2015 after he found Bridge to Home.
“They’re the only ones to ever give a darn about not only me, but others,” said Mason.
Bridge to Home’s mission is to help homeless people like Mason and Saturday night, 250 people gathered at Savia: a Community Partnership in Newhall for Soup for the Soul, a fundraiser designed to bring awareness to Bridge to Home’s cause.
The attendees were able to enjoy a night of entertainment which included auctions, live music, gourmet food and much more —all for a good cause.
Silvia Monica Gutierrez, the executive director of Bridge to Home, hoped to raise $80,000 from the event, which will go towards supporting the homeless.
For example, Bridge to Home is getting ready to open up its winter shelter on Monday which will provide 60 beds as well as volunteer-driven medical and dental care at the facility from November through March.
“We help people that are experiencing homelessness,” she said. “It can happen to anybody.”
This concept rings especially true for David and DeAnne Polomski, who know someone who has been exposed to homelessness and has volunteered for seven years with the organization doing hands-on work such as providing meals at shelters.
“It’s near and dear to our hearts,” said DeAnne.
Despite spending so many years volunteering, this was their first time attending a fundraising event and they are enthusiastic to return in the future.
As for Mason, he is now living in a house in Arcadia that he never would have been able to get without the support of Bridge to Home.
Although, the organization wasn’t done with Mason after helping him find a home. They reached out after not hearing from him for a while just to make sure things are going well.
“They come on their time, their money, not only to come and see me but they also took me to lunch, just to make sure how I’m doing,” he said.
