Fundraiser Supports Homeless Initiatives

Fundraiser Supports Homeless Initiatives

BY ADRIAN GOMEZ / JOURNAL ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

PUBLISHED: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, 2021 AT 6:02PM

UPDATED: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH, 2021 AT 12:02AM

Fashion designer Kevan Hall will be featured at the High Tea and Fashion Show Extravaganza. (Courtesy of Pennies for the Homeless)

The show must go on.

This is the sentiment from the board of Pennies for the Homeless, even after the driving force Joseph Saavedra died in February.

“There was no question of us continuing on,” says Jennifer Bean, acting executive director. “We didn’t know what form it would take with restrictions being so varied. But we knew we would carry it forward.”

For 28 years, the nonprofit organization has been focused on supporting homeless initiatives.

Once a year, Pennies for the Homeless organizes the High Tea and Fashion Show Extravaganza. The event will be held at 11 a.m. Nov. 21, at Hotel Albuquerque.

It provides the community the opportunity to experience a display of designer collections while enjoying savories and sweets from some of the city’s restaurants.

There is also the unique opportunity to purchase or custom order the designer’s fashions at a trunk-show following the event.

Bean says through the donations of gracious sponsors and attendees, Pennies for the Homeless is able to change the lives of many of those in need.

Though the event wasn’t held last year, Bean says the contributions remained the same.

“We went to the Tiny Home Village and asked them what they needed,” she says. “There are no trees in the area and we worked on getting them a shade structure. The first payment was made in December and it finally got installed in August. That was $16,000-plus that we donated. I learned a lot from that. We were constantly working with the project mangers on this.”

This year’s event will feature two designers – Kevan Hall and Christine Adar.

Christine Adar creates looks made for the red carpet. (Courtesy of Pennies for the Homeless)

Hall began his fashion career as an assistant to sportswear designer Harriet Selwyn. In January 2014, Hall launched Kevan Hall SPORT, a lifestyle brand of active wear for women.

Adar began designing in 2007 after graduating from the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. The brand’s mission is to provide women with alluring, elegant couture garments.