Homeless RockStars Aim To Permanently Interrupt the Path To Homelessness For Kids

REDDING, CA – February 17, 2016
The Homeless Rock Stars Project is entering the American high school system on Friday, March 11 and will be giving FIFTY HOMELESS HIGH SCHOOL KIDS the rock star treatment, with the explicit purpose of permanently interrupting their path to homelessness.

Homeless kids from Shasta, Enterprise, Foothill, Pioneer, and North State High Schools will participate in the event, along with roughly fifty Homeless Rock Stars Crew members. These crew members consist of local community members representing Redding City Council,
Simpson University, the YMCA, Starbucks, Remax, Redding Rancheria Indian Tribe, and other institutions.

Step 1 is that each homeless teenager will be given a full blown Rock Star photo session by rock photographer Nigel Skeet, complete with hair and makeup by The Glam Squad. The  purpose of the hair & makeup and photo session is to boost self esteem, draw out positive self expression and knock down psychological barriers. Step 2 is that after the photo session, each participant will be INNERviewed by those members of the community as if they were a rock star, with goal of establishing a personal connection and changing the perception of homelessness.

Joining the Homeless Rock Stars crew will be Shimon Moore, former lead singer of Sick Puppies and the creator of the viral Free Hugs campaign. Shim is now the frontman of his new
band Screaming At Demons, and wrote the Homeless Rock Stars theme song, “ROCKSTAR” Some of the “previously homeless” who came through the project are also joining the Homeless Rock Stars crew and will be on hand to offer encouragement and inspiration.

Homeless Rock Stars has blazed a path through the dark underbelly of homelessness and has proven itself to be extremely effective in combating the stigma of homelessness head on!

This event is being sponsored by Josh Barker Real Estate Advisers, Shasta Family YMCA, Starbucks, Redding Rancheria Indian Tribe, and the Shasta Union High School District.

United Way of Northern California is the fiscal agent of Homeless Rock Stars.
For more information:
www.HomelessRockStars.com
Main Contact: Wendy Zanotelli
wendy@homelessrockstars.com
Media Contact: Shauna O’Donnell
shauna@odonnellmediagroup.com

Meet Derek
19 year old Derek and his younger brother Bryce had a middle class upbringing in Redding, California. Derek went through the local high school system and was well on his way to getting a career in the web industry. Then, at the age of 17 he became homeless through no fault of his own and went on to live in and out of local motels and at the local homeless shelter. Derek obtained emergency custody of his brother and put his schooling on hold in order to find a job.  Although he was deemed extremely qualified wherever he applied, his homeless shelter address was a constant negative and he could not find employment.

On July 1st, 2015, Derek and Bryce came to our Homeless Rock Stars Youth event where they were INNERViewed by the staff of United Way of Northern California.
Homeless Rock Stars co founder and former CEO of Northern California’s United Way, Wendy Zanotelli, offered to coach Derek in his interviewing skills and fine tune his resume. Derek followed up consistently and Wendy soon realized Derek’s outstanding talents and engaging personality. She offered him an internship at United Way, tasking him with updating the company’s website. Derek exceeded all expectations and Wendy was able to fund his position thanks to the Smart Business Resource Center.  Derek was then introduced to the Redding West Rotary and prominent members of the Redding, California community. After meeting Derek and receiving stellar recommendations, CEO of Optimized WorldWide, Matt Morgan,offered Derek a full time job as an SEO & advertising expert. Derek accepted and started working full time in September, walking and biking to work from the homeless shelter.

On November 11th, 2015, Derek and his brother Bryce once again came to our Homeless Rock Stars Youth and Veterans event in Santa Rosa, California. However, this time the tables were turned. He joined the HRS crew and he was the one conducting the INNERviews.

On November 12th Derek and his brother moved into their own townhouse, the first home they had lived in in over two and a half years. A few days later Derek was a presenter at a homeless coalition event put on by Redding city council member Kristen Schreder, addressing a full house of 150 community leaders.

Derek is now being sponsored into Leadership Redding, a local leadership group, he is also starting a Student United Way Coalition AND is part of a team advising local government on not just homelessness but the community in general. In just a few months, Derek has become fully employed and is an active member in the local community changing not only his life, but the lives of others.

Derek is a member of the Homeless Rock Stars Crew and will be in charge of “everything tech” at our High School Youth Event on March 11.