Holiday event raises funds to help homeless teens

Hyun James Kim / Special to the Home News

A woman at H.O.P.E. for the Holidays fills in her silent auction bid for a gift baskets Nov. 22 at the Henderson Pavilion. The auction benefited Homeless Outreach Partnership Event, which offers assistance to Southern Nevada’s homeless.

By Diana Cox (contact)

Monday, Dec. 1, 2008 | 5:55 p.m.

Hyun James Kim / Special to the Home News

Dayne Miller, center, awaits the completion of his new hair color at H.O.P.E. for the Holidays. The Nov. 22 event at the Henderson Pavilion featured a silent auction to benefit Homeless Outreach Partnership Event, which offers assistance to Southern Nevada's homeless.

The second annual H.O.P.E. for the Holidays event took place Nov. 22 at the Henderson Pavilion. Local residents turned out to enjoy live entertainment, food, games, door prizes and a silent auction.

The proceeds will benefit five local charities aimed at providing hope and resources to homeless teenagers in the Las Vegas Valley.

There are more than 4,000 homeless teens in Clark County and between 300 and 500 teens are on the streets of Las Vegas on any given night, event organizer Judy Alewel said.

The event raised about $27,000, considerably less than last year's $40,000.

"Donations are down this year," Alewel said. "Many people are giving but they are giving less. But the good thing is they are still getting educated about the issue."

"We are thankful that people are here and donating, no matter how much," she said.

The organizations, Help of Southern Nevada, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, Street Teens, Living Grace Home and Clark County School District Title 1 Hope, provide shelter, food, toiletries and crisis intervention services.

"The great thing about today," Alewel said, "is that many of the volunteers here are teenagers too. It's great to see teens helping teens."

Diana Cox can be reached at 990-8183 or diana.cox@hbcpub.com.