SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 19, 2012) - The holidays are particularly challenging for low-income and homeless individuals in our community. It is estimated that roughly 7,000 people are homeless every night in Santa Clara County (2011 Homeless Census & Survey). InnVision Shelter Network (IVSN), as one of the leading providers of shelter/housing and supportive services for this population, is dedicated to ensuring that no person walking through its doors goes hungry this holiday season.

To that end, Rock Bottom Restaurant in Campbell will donate 400 prepared Thanksgiving meals to IVSN, including stuffed turkeys with all the trimmings. This is Rock Bottom's fourth consecutive year donating Thanksgiving dinner to IVSN's homeless clients. The meals will be dropped off Wednesday, November 21 at IVSN's Montgomery Street Inn in San Jose. From there, the donations will be distributed to several of IVSN's locations in Santa Clara County, such that every household will have a delicious, festive Thanksgiving meal for themselves and their families.

"It is incredibly rewarding to sponsor Thanksgiving meals for the people at InnVision Shelter Network," said Sean McKennan, General Manager of Rock Bottom Brewery. "I am inspired by their impact, dedication, and passion for serving our community, and I look forward to many more years of partnering together."

Since IVSN operates in both Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, the agency also has a number of programs and partnership to benefit clients on the Peninsula. McGraw's Tavern in Belmont is providing Thanksgiving dinner for 75 homeless men and women at IVSN's Maple Street Shelter in Redwood City. Esposto's Deli and Catering, located in San Mateo, has invited IVSN families to occupy their entire restaurant for two separate seatings, serving donated dinners to a total of 120 people.

At IVSN's four family facilities in San Mateo County, families are provided with transitional apartments furnished with donated furniture and household items, where they stay for an average of 120 days before transitioning to permanent housing. To provide Thanksgiving meals for these families, IVSN is accepting donations of dinner baskets (valued around $40 each) from individual donors and community groups. Dinner baskets are distributed to every family at these four shelters -- 87 families total -- so that they can cook a festive holiday meal together in their own transitional apartment unit.

"Every person deserves to have a safe place to call home and to enjoy nutritious, festive meals with their family. This basic dignity is the foundation from which our clients can develop the skills and learning they need to become self-sufficient in the long-term," said Karae Lisle, CEO of InnVision Shelter Network. "With the community's support, we are dedicated to providing these quality services to those in need during the holidays and throughout the year."

At IVSN's largest family facility, First Step for Families, which houses 39 families every night, volunteers will serve Thanksgiving dinner to approximately 130 children and adults. The meals have been generously underwritten by an anonymous Silicon Valley donor, and Girl Scout troops have decorated the shelter to make it festive and inviting.

In Palo Alto, where IVSN operates the Opportunity Services Center, the nonprofit is partnering with Downtown Streets Team, another homeless service agency, to serve 500 Thanksgiving meals. Nearly 150 community volunteers will prepare and serve a full holiday meal to families and adult residents of the Opportunity Center, as well as to other low-income individuals in need. This event has been an honored tradition in Palo Alto for over 20 years.

In addition to the households living in shelter facilities on Thanksgiving night, IVSN serves hundreds more people through outreach to unsheltered people, non-site-based case management, and housing assistance programs. The vast majority of these families and individuals will also receive meals and gifts for the holidays.

InnVision Shelter Network's services are only made possible with community support, including financial contributions, volunteerism, and in-kind donations. Opportunities for holiday giving can be found at www.ivsn.org/holiday.

IVSN Thanksgiving Meals - Thursday 11/22/12
11:00-1:00pm, Maple Street Shelter, 1580A Maple Street, Redwood City
11:30-1:00pm, First Step for Families, 325 Villa Terrace, San Mateo
12:00-2:00pm, All Saints Episcopal Church, 555 Waverly Street, Palo Alto
4:30-5:30pm, Montgomery Street Inn, 358 N. Montgomery Street, San Jose
To attend, please contact: Maria Duzon, Marketing Manager, mduzon@ivsn.org / 650-248-6766

About Shelter Network
InnVision Shelter Network (IVSN) is one of the largest and most effective providers of shelter/housing and supportive services across Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Peninsula. IVSN operates over 18 major sites from San Jose to Daly City, providing emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive housing, along with a vast array of supportive resources to help clients secure a place to call home.

IVSN serves thousands of homeless clients annually through its "Beyond the Bed" service model -- a proven methodology that has historically delivered a 90% success rate in returning program graduates to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. Through community support -- including financial contributions, in-kind donations, and volunteerism -- IVSN empowers those in our community struggling with poverty and homelessness to gain valuable skills that lead to long term self-sufficiency.