Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announced today that Camarillo-based RAIN Communities, Inc. President David Kohlmeier will emcee a powerful on-stage conversation during its annual fundraising Compassion Campaign on Thursday, May 11th, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Museum of Ventura County. This year’s Compassion Campaign theme, HOME MADE: Fund It + Build It + Live It, features three museum-quality exhibits that invite guests to learn what it takes to fund, build and live in safe, equitable, and affordable homes in Ventura County. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, click here.

In 2006, Kohlmeier found himself and his then five-year-old son suddenly homeless. He credits his newfound faith and discovery of RAIN Transitional Living Center to set them on the road to security through access to safe, affordable housing paired with supportive transportation, healthy meals, job skills training, parenting counseling, and more. Now 17 years later, David’s son is a successful college student as David presides over RAIN Communities, Inc. (www.raincommunities.org) as its President and Chairman of the Board. “We are honored that David is leading our Home Made conversation,” stated Housing Trust Fund VC CEO, Linda Braunschweiger. “It’s important that we all see the faces of housing insecurity and hear their stories. Only then can we truly understand the life-changing impact that providing safe and affordable homes has on the adults and children of our community.”

Kohlmeier will be joined on-stage at this year’s Compassion Campaign by Braunschweiger as together they chat with Jennifer Harkey, Program Director for Ventura County’s Continuum of Care Alliance (www.venturacoc.org) and another local affordable housing resident who will share her journey as a senior in need of and ultimately finding an affordable home in Santa Paula.

Sponsored in part by City National Bank, HOPE (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere), and Ventura Investment Company, Compassion Campaign 2023 - HOME MADE: Fund It + Build It + Live It, seeks to fully immerse guests into three hands-on exhibits complete with audio, video, and tactile items that tell the story of what it takes to fund, build and support residents who live in affordable Ventura County homes. Guests will be provided silent headphones as they are invited to first visit the Community West Bank sponsored FUND IT exhibit where they will learn that funding affordable housing is much like making lasagna. Moving on to the BUILD IT exhibit, sponsored by McCarthy Companies, guests will “virtually” walk through a beautiful affordable community to experience all that goes into developing these homes. Finally, guests approach the LIVE IT exhibit finding themselves at a kitchen table witnessing the positive impact affordable housing has had on residents’ lives as they tell their stories.