by lisa lipsey –
Emceed by Hillcrest’s beloved Babette Schwartz, the inaugural Faith, Hope and Brunch is coming up on Saturday, October 12, hosted by Martinis Above Fourth Table + Stage. The musical gala and silent auction benefits Fraternity House and includes bottomless mimosas and a stellar lineup of vocalists. Enjoy gospel, standard and modern favorites sung by Taylor Henderson, Shaun Tuazon, Top Shelf Brass, Eboni Muse and Martinis’ very own Janice Edwards, as well as a special guest performance by Fraternity House resident Aaron Mellon.
After 31 years of providing caring homes and support to homeless and vulnerable individuals living with HIV/AIDS, Fraternity House hopes to take brunch guests on a musical journey and honor our community’s effort in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“Today more than 13,000 San Diego County residents are living with HIV,” Executive Director Matt Harding said. “Within the HIV population, it is the underserved, economically disadvantaged and those without access to healthcare who continue to be the hardest hit. We see vastly disproportionate numbers of new HIV cases within our homeless population.
“Our agency tagline has always been ‘Keeping Love Alive.’ The brunch is an opportunity to ‘Keep the Conversation Alive.’ Despite how far we have come, we are nowhere near the end of the road. … There is a lengthy waiting list of people who desperately need our housing and services. The bottom line is we cannot become complacent. It’s too soon to stop supporting HIV/AIDS services in our community – especially for our most vulnerable neighbors,” Harding said.
“Our agency tagline has always been ‘Keeping Love Alive.’ The brunch is an opportunity to ‘Keep the Conversation Alive.’ Despite how far we have come, we are nowhere near the end of the road. … There is a lengthy waiting list of people who desperately need our housing and services.”
– Matt Harding
The brunch will also include a silent auction and a presentation of the Ray of Light award (named after Fraternity House founder Ray Beierle) to Pilgrim United Church of Christ. Board President Patrick Anderson said he is pleased to publicly recognize Pilgrim’s parishioners for their long-term service to the Fraternity House mission.
“Pilgrim Church has been a staunch ally since our founding and has been a community leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the crisis.” Beierle said.
“They are the only North County church to host an event for World AIDS Day. They have also hosted holiday events for our residents and brought countless meals to our homes. Individual church members have been amongst our most loyal and long-time volunteers, serving as drivers, cooks and office help. Several church members have served on our board. We are deeply grateful for the love they have shown and every good deed they have done to support our residents and homes.”
Fraternity House was founded in 1988 to provide caring, supportive homes to people dying from AIDS. Today, housing remains the No. 2 unmet need noted on the HIV/AIDS community needs survey. In the No. 1 spot is medical care/treatment.
In response, the organization continues to operate San Diego County’s only licensed Residential Care Facilities for the Chronically Ill (RCF-CI’s): Michaelle House in Vista and Fraternity House in Escondido, as well as semi-independent living apartments with the goal of appropriate care and treatment, improved wellbeing and restored dignity.
Special Guest Performer Aaron Mellon
Before moving into Michaelle House, resident Aaron Mellon (an accomplished performer and pianist) was homeless and living on the streets for about five years.
“I was sleeping below Martinis sometimes, or in the park in Hillcrest, always with a shopping cart, picking things up. I was off my medications and I was using crystal meth,” Mellon said. “I ended up in the UCSD [Medical Center] Intensive Care Unit for two and half months, then I went to skilled nursing for a month because I was still fighting off a staph infection. I remember the night I was admitted to the hospital, I almost died. A security guard found me around 4 a.m. lying in the dirt outside of UCSD; I was trying to drag myself to the emergency room.”
Mellon shared more:
“What is most helpful about Michealle House is being medication compliant and the patience they show towards every resident, letting them work through their own stuff, at their own pace. This is not a quickie 90-day program — the houses and transitional apartments make it a long-play program. That’s what is impressive and that is what makes it work. Most of us have been in ‘programs’ before. This is a home and a program. This is my home, there is no clinical, sterile, hospital feeling.”
Faith, Hope and Brunch benefiting Fraternity House will be held Saturday, October 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Martinis Above Fourth Table + Stage. General and VIP tickets are available. For tickets and more information, visit fraternityhouse-inc.org/faith-hope-and-brunch.