HomeFirst, the largest provider of homeless services in Santa Clara County announced that San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo joined HomeFirst CEO Andrea Urton, staff and volunteers in serving Christmas Eve dinner to up to 250 shelter guests at the Boccardo Reception Center.

Mayor Liccardo continues a long-standing tradition for San Jose mayors to volunteer and serve at HomeFirst during the holiday season. Mayor Liccardo, a member of the HomeFirst Advisory Council, is a staunch advocate in solving the homeless crisis in San Jose, working diligently on a variety of solutions to have 10,000 affordable homes available within the next few years.

HomeFirst is the service provider for the Bridge Housing Project – which under the auspices of the City of San Jose will provide two sites with 40 sleeping individual units each (80 units total) built by Habitat for Humanity with a complementary mixed-use common area including laundry, bathroom/shower facilities and kitchen services. The 40 residents per site will be individual adults already working or with a viable work history making them employable.

“We are very lucky to have a Mayor like Sam Liccardo who is so invested in finding innovative solutions for housing and to end homelessness,” said HomeFirst CEO Urton.

“Together with people like Sam we can truly partner to end homelessness.”

“I’m honored to help HomeFirst serve this special holiday meal and to spend some time with hundreds of our unhoused neighbors,” said Mayor Liccardo. “With the help of a large network of community partners, we’ve placed more than 6,000 people into permanent housing over the past four years – but we know there’s still much work to do. In the year ahead, I look forward to continuing to work with HomeFirst and other local non-profits to advance innovative solutions to our homelessness crisis.”