Fifteen years after it began handing out clothing and school supplies to homeless high schoolers, Project 150 is throwing a party. The Las Vegas nonprofit's annual Fall Celebration Party lands this Friday, October 16, at The Industrial Event Space, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the celebration kicking off at 7 p.m. under an 1980s rock theme the organization is calling Nothin' but a Good Time.
The milestone gathering is a benefit. As KTNV reports, Kristo and board president Chet Buchanan will help lead the celebration honoring Project 150 volunteers, donors and community partners, while Zowie Bowie is set to perform live music featuring hits from 1980s rock bands.
Guests are being encouraged to lean all the way into the throwback theme. Per network.vegas, the dress code calls for spandex, band tees, leather, neon and denim — the full 80s rock aesthetic, not a half-hearted costume. KTNV adds that the party will also include food, cocktails, a silent auction and special surprises for attendees.
Fifteen Years of Quiet Work Behind the Scenes
Behind the glitter and guitar riffs is an organization that has spent a decade and a half trying to catch teenagers before they fall through the cracks. Per KTNV, Project 150 helps homeless, displaced and disadvantaged high school students across Southern Nevada overcome barriers to education, providing free clothing, food, hygiene products and school supplies year-round.
That year-round effort runs through two local boutiques that log about 12,000 visits annually, offering free clothing, school supplies, hygiene items, shoes and food, according to the organization's reporting shared with FOX5 Vegas. The same report notes Project 150 helps students meet daily challenges by delivering critically needed supplies directly to area high schools.
Scholarships Add Up Over a Decade and a Half
Beyond boutiques and supply drops, Project 150 has built a scholarship pipeline for students aiming at college or a trade. More than 700 students have received help paying for college or vocational training over the organization's history, the FOX5 Vegas report states, and this year alone Project 150 expects to award scholarships to more than 100 students.
The need behind those numbers keeps growing. The number of Clark County School District students identified as experiencing homelessness climbed from about 12,000 in the 2021-22 school year to roughly 13,500 the following year, according to The Nevada Independent, which reported the district identified about 13,500 students meeting the federal definition of homelessness last school year.
A Night to Support Project 150
The organization's event listing says all funds raised at the celebration benefit Project 150's programs and services and urges people not to wait to buy tickets. For a nonprofit trying to keep pace with a steadily rising number of students in need, Friday night's spandex-and-neon throwback offers a way to support its work.
