* Heroes featured in the June 10, 2008 edition of Real Change.
Change Agent Tricia Lapitan by Susanna Pehrson
On a cold evening in Dec. 2006, when Tricia Lapitan put up Christmas decorations outside her house and barely could feel her fingers, she realized what she wanted for Christmas that year. “I got a cup of hot chocolate in my hands, and suddenly I knew that instead of gifts from family and friends, I wanted to give hot chocolate to the homeless,” said Lapitan. She went out in the evening on Dec. 20 with lots of sandwiches and thermoses, seeking out homeless people under the bridges and in the parks of Seattle. That was the first, but not the last time. Since then, Lapitan has founded an organization — Heroes for the Homeless — and with about 20 volunteers has walked the streets 22 times to hand out sandwiches, chocolate, socks, and hygiene kits.
* Homeless people and allies made a statement Aug. 29, 2008 at Westlake Park in support of more solutions to the citywide shortage of emergency shelter by holding a die-in. Tricia Lapitan (pictured face down, bottom left) was one of those who lay on the sidewalk holding signs with the names of the 21 people who have died outside so far this year. Tricia's sign read: Steven Proctor, died January 2008, at 48.
* pnwLocalNews.com: Bellevue Reporter · Oct 21, 2008 ·
Seattle Food and Wine Experience comes to Qwest Field
The first Seattle Food and Wine Experience will be held Saturday, Oct. 25 and Sunday, Oct. 26 and feature more than 1,000 wines from the world’s greatest wine regions, culinary offerings from the Northwest’s most renowned restaurants, and cooking classes with the area’s most talented master chefs. The event will benefit Heroes for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization providing emergency services to the area’s growing homeless population.
The weekend event, at Qwest Field, will offer guests an opportunity to meet, taste and talk wines with vintners and winery representatives. The KitchenAid Cooking School will feature 10 of the top names in the Seattle restaurant scene - including Daisley Gordon of Campagne, Thierry Rautureau “The Chef in the Hat” of Rover’s, Holly Smith of Café Juanita - giving the audience tips and tricks with the best of the Northwest’s ingredients. The Crate & Barrel Eco-Lounge, furnished with environmentally friendly décor, will offer tastes of organic foods and wines.
Admission is $59 per person and includes access to all areas of the event. No one under 21 will be admitted. For tickets and information including an updated list of participating wineries, restaurants and chefs, log onto www.seattlefoodandwineexperience.com
* Saturday, December 20, 2008, 2nd Anniversary Night Outreach: King5 News and KomoTv film Drew Bouta and Tricia Lapitan handing out food and outdoor survival supplies to the homeless in the blowing snow in front of City Hall.
* Tricia serves lunch to the homeless on Christmas Day 2008 at the Salvation Army William Booth Center with Seattle Municipal Court Commissioner Adam Eisenberg andSeattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowski.
On a cold evening in Dec. 2006, when Tricia Lapitan put up Christmas decorations outside her house and barely could feel her fingers, she realized what she wanted for Christmas that year. “I got a cup of hot chocolate in my hands, and suddenly I knew that instead of gifts from family and friends, I wanted to give hot chocolate to the homeless,” said Lapitan. She went out in the evening on Dec. 20 with lots of sandwiches and thermoses, seeking out homeless people under the bridges and in the parks of Seattle. That was the first, but not the last time. Since then, Lapitan has founded an organization — Heroes for the Homeless — and with about 20 volunteers has walked the streets 22 times to hand out sandwiches, chocolate, socks, and hygiene kits. 
* Homeless people and allies made a statement Aug. 29, 2008 at Westlake Park in support of more solutions to the citywide shortage of emergency shelter by holding a die-in. Tricia Lapitan (pictured face down, bottom left) was one of those who lay on the sidewalk holding signs with the names of the 21 people who have died outside so far this year. Tricia's sign read: Steven Proctor, died January 2008, at 48. 
