Dozens of homes were broken into Friday in the North County, but it wasn’t for any nefarious reasons.
It’s the annual "Breaking and Entering" event at Solutions for Change where strangers “break in" to apartments of families who were once homeless to make sure they have a merry Christmas.
“It’s really about families helping families,” Solutions for Change president Chris Megison said. “There’s no better feeling in the world than to be a part of this.”
The agency has been helping nearly 1,000 families — more than 3,400 children — homeless families get back on their feet for almost 20 years, he said.
On Friday, Jill Alcorn and Jennifer Sutton broke into Angye Guille’s apartment in Vista to spread a little holiday joy. They decorated the apartment, put up a tree and some presents underneath.
“It feels amazing, yeah, absolutely, it feels amazing,” Alcorn said.
Guille was speechless when she saw all the holiday decorations.
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“I think this is … I’m blessed. Super blessed. Beyond blessed,” she said. “Thank you guys, whoever did this. Thank you so much. A big surprise.”
Guille and her three daughters were homeless for more than a year. This was the first Christmas in her home since she was a child. Now she can make new Christmas memories with her girls, thanks to someone she doesn’t even know.
Solutions for Change hopes to break into more apartments in the next few years. The city of Vista gave the agency more than $2 million to expand, which means there will be more holiday meals, presents and more cheer for families who otherwise wouldn’t have it.
