Grammy Winner Ben Harper Does His Part to Support Doors of Change
The annual Doors of Change Concert of Hope will take place at 7 p.m., Saturday, September 9 at Epstein Family Ampitheater, located at 9500 Gilman Drive in San Diego. The event will include three-time Grammy winner Ben Harper, with Co-Emcee, Anson Williams (Warren “Potsie” Webber/Happy Days). A VIP reception will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance for at www.DoorsofChange.org.
Doors of Change has done an impressive job of raising millions for homeless youth and securing support from members of the entertainment community. Past concerts have received support, either in concert or donated auction times from such music legends as Elton John, Billy Joel, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Carlos Santana, Tony Bennett, BB King, Los Lobos, George Thorogood, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Taj Mahal, Paul Rodgers, Melissa Ethridge, and the 2022 headliners, Three Dog Night.
Doors of Change is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in San Diego. It exclusively helps the most underserved of the entire homeless population, Transitional Age Youth (TAY) ages 17 to 25, the most likely age group to break the cycle of homelessness. For each of the past three years Doors of Change has set a record for helping homeless youth get off the streets and into safe housing in San Diego – and many youth have become self-sufficient as a result. In 2022 they shattered their record of housing homeless youth by 188 youth, resulting in 349 youth being placed in safe housing. Since 2001, they have helped over 2,700 homeless youth get safe housing.
Recognizing that trust is often a significant barrier for youth in need of services, Doors of Change selected music and art as a non-threatening way to engage young people living on the street for 18 years, until Covid. By offering music and art instruction in a small group setting, youth are given the opportunity to explore their feelings and challenges through the arts, achieve a sense of mastery for the first time, develop social skills that are positive and constructive, and create a vision for the future that is filled with possibility.
A special guest at this year’s concert will be Justine, sharing her true life “Rocky Story,” a formerly homeless youth who just graduated from law school. With community help, more youth like Justine will have a life they can be proud to share with others.
Category: Business, Donations, Entertainment, Events, feature, Homeless, Local News, Music, Nonprofit, Students
