During a meeting at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michael Elgo, Anamarie Lamme and Craig Yolles decided they wanted to do something particularly special to benefit members of the community. Using their combined backgrounds in real estate, marketing and graphic design, the savvy professionals started shopping around for a charity for which they could focus their efforts. The trio made a visit to Toussaint Academy San Diego (TASD), a nonprofit that helps homeless teens in partnership with Father Joe’s Villages. They were given a tour by a few of the teens, who showed a sense of pride and ownership in their home. A week later, the business owners struck up a partnership with TASD, and the House for Charity project was created with a lofty goal — and a unique way to achieve it. They decided to follow the example of Kyle MacDonald, the now-famous Canadian blogger who, in 2005 orchestrated a series of trades — starting with a red paper clip — and ended up receiving a house. MacDonald was inspired by the children’s game Bigger and Better, and over the course of one year bartered his way up to a two-story farmhouse in Saskatchewan. The local business owners also set their sights on obtaining a house, to be used either for transitional housing for teens or sold for funding for the nonprofit by starting with an average, simple ink pen and trading up. “House for Charity allows people in the community to donate something besides money during a tough economy,” said Lamme. “They can donate their wares or services to help support children in need.” Since launching on April 21, the original pen has been traded up for a lava lamp, a bottle of wine, a laser printer, a golf putter, a $100 gift card and T-shirt from Crab Hut, a $1,500 gift certificate to Egoscue for postural therapy sessions and a 10-day stay in Princeville, Kauai. With an estimated 2,000 homeless youth living on the streets of San Diego, TASD strives for their graduates to be on even footing with more advantaged peers upon leaving the program. In the last six years, 90 percent of their graduates have enrolled in post-secondary education. Raising the bar on what their graduates are capable of accomplishing, 95 percent obtain permanent or stable housing, establish savings and find employment. TASD, located at 1404 Fifth Ave., currently houses about 40 teens between the ages of 14 and 18 and provides college scholarships and aftercare services for graduates in need of continued case management, counseling and housing assistance. “TASD allows teens to take leadership and ownership of their lives,” said director Rick Newmeyer. “They often come from homeless families, have incarcerated parents or have suffered abuse or neglect. Going home is either impossible or not a healthy option.” The teens at TASD decide on their own activities, menus and fundraising ventures. To raise money for extracurriculars such as beach trips, the teens have sold items at swap meets and held public talent shows. They are particularly engaged in the online trade as it relates to social media. To follow or submit a trade, visit www.houseforcharity.com or www.facebook.com /houseforcharity.
