Father Joe’s Villages, San Diego’s largest homeless services provider, raised a record $1.6 million for children without stable housing at its annual gala, it was announced Tuesday.
The 41st annual Children’s Champions matching gift campaign and gala was hosted by journalist Monica Dean on May 2 at the U.S. Grant Hotel.
It arrived the day after the results of San Diego County’s 2026 Point-in-Time Count were released, finding a 1% overall decrease in homelessness across the region. However, at least 23% of the 9,803 people experiencing homelessness in the region are children, officials said.
According to Father Joe’s, without early intervention, these children are up to four times more likely to have delayed development and twice as likely to repeat a grade in school.
The PITC is conducted every January by the Regional Task Force on Homelessness and is a one-day snapshot of the region’s homeless population.
The funds raised at the gala are intended for homeless families and children to gain access to health care, food, therapeutic childcare and other supportive programs.
“We thank everyone who generously gave their time and gifts in support of children and their families,” said Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe’s Villages. “Their support will ensure that hundreds more children and their families are given what they need to transition away from life on the streets to a home of their own.”
Longtime donors Bob and Ellen Svatos were honored with the Bishop Maher Award for their 36 years of support. Gala Chairs Andrea and Greg McMullen were recognized for their leadership and the Qualcomm Foundation was recognized with the Father Joe’s Villages Award for “demonstrating the strength of their partnership in tackling homelessness,” a statement from the nonprofit read.
Vargas had expressed concerns about the 1% decline in homelessness, stating the region should be doing better to manage the crisis.
“We are disappointed to see that overall progress has stalled, with no change in the total number of people experiencing homelessness in our region, even as we’ve continued to invest in solutions,” he said. “More concerning, the data shows a growing crisis among older adults. This year, even more seniors fell into homelessness for the first time, continuing a troubling trend. This is a challenge for which our community is not prepared.”
Even so, the number of unsheltered homeless dropped dramatically in several cities: 64.1% in Santee, 39.5% in El Cajon, 30% in Encinitas, 25% in La Mesa and 24.5% in Chula Vista.
Positive developments from this year’s count include a 12% drop in unsheltered veterans, 26% decline in unsheltered transitional-age youth (18-24) and a 14% decrease in people living in vehicles.
“This is what progress looks like,” RTFH CEO Tamera Kohler said. “We’re seeing good results where we’ve made investments. As a region, we still do not have enough housing resources — there are no more housing vouchers, and HUD funding is uncertain. So the investments have been in diversion, sheltering and encampment resolutions. When we have adequate investments, we can reduce unsheltered homelessness.”
In 2025, the number of people experiencing homelessness in San Diego County dropped by 7%, and dropped by about 14% in the city of San Diego.