Life on the streets is difficult, even in San Diego. Many places won’t allow homeless people to stop on their property for a breather, let alone welcome them in. But the San Diego Street Choir invites everyone in, regardless of your housing status.
In May, the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness released their annual Point-in-Time Count. The task force is charged with counting the number of homeless in San Diego, to the best of their ability, and then reporting the numbers that they find to the city.
The Street Choir, begun on October 12, 2016, describes themselves as “a choir for those affected by homelessness.” Founding director Ron Bolles worked with First Presbyterian Church of San Diego and La Jolla Presbyterian Church to not only start the choir but create a support network. The choir meets on Wednesday evenings, when First Presbyterian’s Ladle Ministry serves their mid-week meal. Meals are packaged up to hand out to the members of the choir after rehearsal.
Bolles retired amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The group took a hiatus for about a year but started back up in June 2021 under the direction of Rodney Girvin, who jumped on the opportunity, though admitted that Bolles had left very big shoes to fill.
“It’s such an important role, and these people are so important, and I wanted to make sure that whoever took the job over from Ron, it was the right person,” Girvin explains. “I truly feel I was called to lead this ministry.”
Girvin also said that he couldn’t do the job without Joe DeMers, who has been the Street Choir’s accompanist since the beginning. But they are striving to bring in members. Several members left the group during the pandemic. After resuming rehearsals, the group averaged about 15 members each week, but took another hit in the January surge. They now average about 12 members per week.
The choir does more than make music, they create community. The August 8 rehearsal started with an update on some of the missing members, then concluded with cake and ice cream to celebrate the July birthdays. Those who attend every rehearsal and performance receive a reward each month, providing incentive to attend.
They also receive support from outside the community. Todd Sutherland of Sutherland Management Corporation provides gift cards to the McDonald’s restaurants that he owns, which are handed out to members at rehearsal. Local churches donate money as well as performance opportunities to the group.
The group also supports the San Diego community. They perform regularly at the San Diego Rescue Mission and food distribution events, sharing the joy of music. They performed at a campaign event for the now-mayor of San Diego, Todd Gloria. Their annual BlesSING concert is a benefit to raise money for the Monarch Schools for homeless children.
The group is a member of the Choral Consortium of San Diego, so the members got to perform at Copley Symphony Hall as part of the Big Sing event in 2018 and at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park for 2019’s San Diego Sings! choral festival.
Girvin says that he tries to have the group perform every two weeks, because “they really get a kick out of it. It brings so much joy to them, giving this music to others, and that gives me great joy, seeing them have this joyful experience. I’m so moved by witnessing their experience.”
