Soup for the Soul event benefits Bridge to Home

For the first time in 27 years, Santa Clarita Valley’s homeless shelter, Bridge to Home, began 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operations in August.

And with extended hours of operation, more financial support is needed. While grants have been a big help, community assistance has been essential, according to local homelessness officials.

“We recently announced that we have secured a large portion of the funds necessary to keep our shelter services running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” said Michael Foley, executive director for Bridge to Home, the organization that runs the shelter. “However, there is still a $250,000 funding gap we need to meet.”

With that in mind, the nonprofit Bridge to Home invites the Santa Clarita community to its Soup for the Soul fundraiser. It’s set to take place Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Bella Vida senior center.

Italian cuisine

Themed “Sera in Italia,” the event is expected to offer Italian cuisine from local restaurants, as well as live music.

The organization is planning for about 300 to attend the fundraiser, which is the shelter’s largest community event each year.

The overall goal is to raise as much funding as they can to keep the shelter open.

“Over 900 individuals and families sought some level of help at Bridge to Home getting a hot meal, a shower and grabbing a lunch,” Foley said. “If we don’t have the money, we don’t have the doors open.”

Foley believes it’s an important fundraiser that can help them to continue assisting those in need by providing resources and support for the homeless.

“If we want to keep our shelter open, we have to succeed,” Foley said, “our neighbors need it.”

The event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit www.btohome. org. According to the website, the deadline to purchase tickets for $100 has passed, but if you would still like to attend the event, you can call Mike Foley at 661-254-4663 to be added to the waitlist.