Yahoo! and Create Now! bring 200 Homeless Kids to Opening NIght at the Hollywood Bowl

Create Now! received an invitation from Yahoo! to collaborate with us to bring 200 homeless youth to attend Opening Night at the Hollywood Bowl in 2006.

Create Now! partnered with several different homeless shelters in Los Angeles, who were able to bring the children and youth, along with a few parents that reside there. Many got to experience the Hollywood Bowl for the first time.

Alexandria House - Los Angeles

Comunidad Cesar Chavez - Boyle Heights
Covenant House - Hollywood
LA Youth Network - Hollywood

Los Angeles Family Housing - North Hollywood
Union Station Foundation - Pasadena

We coordinated the distribution of the tickets and arranged the transportation.  Yahoo! also donated t-shirts (which were in hot demand by everyone nearby), as well as drinks and snacks.

In addition to an evening of superb music by John Mauceri and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, everyone got to hear Eric Idle and Virginia Madsen speak, enjoy the Downey High School Jazz Band and music by John C. Reilly and pianist Andre Watts.

Blue Man Group was the favorite of many of the kids in attendance. They gave an amazing performance with sparkling drums, sharing their unique style of music.

Everyone had a great evening and kept expressing their appreciation. "Thanks so much for your kindness," they called out as we welcomed them to their seats and handed them refreshments.

The highlight of the night was Carlos Santana, introduced by surprise guests Edward James Olmos and George Lopez.  Jubilant Sykes also joined him for one number. Carlos gave a virtuoso performance of several of his best songs. All the kids were screaming and dancing in their seats with joy.

As if that weren't enough, the night was capped with a dazzling display of fireworks. The stunning show fascinated homeless children as young as six months old.

Gracious Williams, 7 years-old from Comunidad Cesar Chavez shelter said, "I was very excited to go because I had never been there before. The best part was the Blue Man Group and the fireworks at the end."  The kids felt some relief from their problems and had hope for the future. Knowing that there are people in the community who care and want to help can make positive changes in troubled lives also makes a huge difference.

Special thanks to former Board Member and Create Now! supporter Michael Egan, Director of Content Strategy & Operations at Yahoo! and Philip Chiu, Senior International Analyst, for helping make this collaboration possible. Yahoo! has previously donated to our Sound Off! program through the Yahoo! Employee Foundation. Sandra Jakobs from their Burbank office, who worked closely with us to coordinate the event (along with Katy Goodrich) remarked, "There is no way we could have found a better organization to work with. I don't think anyone else could have pulled this off."