The Purposeful Living Issue
DIGNIFIED LIVING Salt + Light’s Call for Community Story by Rachel Trigueiro | Photos by Lifestyle Staff
A photo rendering of the housing units Salt + Light is planning to build.
“Housing will never solve homelessness, but community will,” says
Christmas morning, Adrianne, along with her husband and three
Adrianne Hillman, founder and CEO of Salt + Light.
boys, rallied together bringing Gabriel a warm home-cooked breakfast, hand warmers, and chocolates (her sons’ request).
Adrianne’s voice trembles when sharing about Gabriel, a man she recently met on the food truck. “He was a really sweet guy, only 42.
As her sons gathered around him in a hug, she said, “I know you asked
He came from Mexico to pick grapes with his brother, but his brother
for a family for Christmas, so here are my boys. They love you and we
died and they lost their home. I asked how long ago; he said six years.”
love you.” Everyone there was moved to tears.
Adrianne’s approach to the less fortunate is radical, and her response
Balancing the compassion and heartbreak with real boots on the
to Gabriel is a living testimony.
ground is difficult; the needs are real and never-ending. People are
“I know I can’t give you a home yet, we’re working as fast as we can.
hungry, but work must also be done in order to keep moving forward
But if I could give you anything for Christmas, what would it be?”
to change the story of homelessness through creating homes.
she asked him.
Salt + Light began with a huge vision in 2019, prior to Covid.
Gabriel’s reply: “A family.”
The originally-planned 51 acres with 200 homes shifted to 6 acres and 52 homes. That still means 52 lives off the street,
Adrianne weeps as she recalls the story. “They don’t have a family to
being touched and changed.
hold them up, and that’s our job.”
43
