Felice Anno Nuovo! It’s a new year, and we are so excited to kick it off on a positive note! In an effort to support those experiencing homelessness in our neighborhood, the Little Italy Association has partnered with the San Diego Rescue Mission.

With the state of homelessness in San Diego, and the Country as a whole, having grown exponentially over the past year, we knew we wanted to support the unhoused community as best we could, leading with dignity and compassion. The goal of our partnership with the San Diego Rescue Mission is to have fewer people calling the sidewalks of Little Italy their home and to create easier access to connect those experiencing homelessness with people who care and are willing to help them take their next step forward.

The Rescue Mission’s outreach coordinator, Carla Vanegas, will be in our neighborhood seven days a week, helping people connect with shelter, as well as offering basic assistance such as access to obtain necessary documents in order to transition, hygiene products, snacks and clothing. Their newest outreach initiative, Walk With Me, offers an opportunity for our unsheltered neighbors to build a supportive friendship with a volunteer. This relational approach is what has made the Rescue Mission the ideal partner for Little Italy. The Rescue Mission has seen common misperceptions about homelessness fade, new doors of hope open and lives changed on both sides.

We truly hope to inspire other communities in San Diego and beyond to lead with compassion and take action from the heart when it comes to assisting our unsheltered neighbors.

For more information, please visit us at LittleItalySD.com or follow us on Instagram @LittleItalySD, Twitter @LittleItalySD and Facebook @LittleItalySD.

— Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s District Manager since 2000. Reach him at [email protected].