As reported earlier this week by LGBT Weekly, the San Diego nonprofit Photocharity raises funds to benefit homeless youth throughout the city with annual concerts, auctions and public events. This Sunday marks the occasion of Photocharity’s biggest event of the year, the Celebration of Hope gala dinner and auction at downtown’s family-friendly Anthology venue.
Unfortunately, recession-tightened wallets have hurt Photocharity’s bottom line – and now the organization is relying more than ever on proceeds from the gala to boost funds and help keep San Diego’s Storefront youth services shelter afloat.
In a piece for SignOnSanDiego.com, Photocharity founder Jeffery Sitcov explained that “the economy is really hurting us; we’ve only raised $20,000 in 2011” – a far cry from the organization’s annual goal of $140,000. After raising $1.6 million throughout the last decade, this year’s stunted fundraising threatens to impact San Diego’s homeless youth – a significant percentage of which identifies as gay, lesbian or bisexual – on a critical level.
The Storefront shelter, a facility for homeless and runaway youth and Photocharity’s prime funding recipient, uses the proceeds raised through Photocharity events to provide daily breakfasts to at-risk youth, as well as the independent skills tutoring program, music and creative arts coping program and street-outreach services that constitute the backbone of Storefront’s approach to sustainable, expression-based solutions and provide much-needed support and acceptance to LGBT teens struggling with discrimination and alienation.
Storefront director Jan Stankus-Nakano explained that “the funds we get from Photocharity are peppered throughout our budget” to fill gaps that government contributions – capped at $139,000 each year — fail to cover. “To maintain our services,” Stankus-Nakano said, “it’s critical the public steps up.”
Photocharity certainly has the star power to draw donors, thanks to a long-standing collaboration with famous musicians and sports figures. Sunday’s gala will boast around 70 auction items, and highlights include a “Lucille” Gibson guitar signed and donated by B.B. King, a signed Fender guitar from donated by U2, and a skateboard signed by Tony Hawk.
Tickets for Celebration of Hope are available by phone at (760) 943-6968, and individuals who cannot attend Sunday’s event can still view and bid for auction items online.
