Christmas came early to Hollister when the Family Winter Shelter Holiday Party was held for more than 100 homeless people as they gathered downtown at The Vault for an evening of food, presents, family photos and a visit from Santa. The event was a gift from local agencies, organizations, churches and a slew of volunteers.
“Tonight we have 27 families who are homeless,” said Andi Anderson, staff services specialist for San Benito County Department of Community Services and Workforce Development. “Every year we have a Christmas party for them and we get the community to adopt either an individual or a family and they provide the gifts.”
Anderson said the families are staying in housing units at the county migrant camp from December through March 2016. If they’re able, they pay rent, but that is refunded at the end of their stay, in the hope that they will have enough money to get them into permanent housing. She said many area homeless families, some of them employed, have been waiting to find housing for as long as two years.
She said everything for the Christmas party had been donated.
“That includes the food, the venue, the drinks, the photographers. We have paid for nothing,” Anderson said. “Tonight, we’re we’re looking at serving 124 individuals. That doesn’t include all the volunteers.”
She said volunteers to serve the guests came from the high school, the Fusion Elite All Stars cheerleading facility, two professional photographers from Hollister and San Juan Bautista, and of course Santa (Peter Hernandez) and his helper (Karina Hernandez).
Christmas dinner, comprised of have turkey, chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, Peruvian beans and rice, salads, fresh fruit and homemade cookies, was donated by different agencies and organizations.
“South Valley Community Church adopted 26 individuals and they also provided a couple of turkeys,” Anderson said. “All the families will be invited to visit with Santa and given their gifts. Every family will have a professional photographer take a free family portrait. We’ll provide everyone with a dinner and, hopefully, a merry Christmas.
San Benito County Department of Community Services and Workforce Development provides services for low-income families through grants from the state and federal governments. For more information, visit its website.
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