August 30, 2009 (San Diego, CA) — Flappers, dolls, molls, candy cigarette girls, gangsters, dapper Great Gatsby-types, palookas, and an abundance of fedoras and boas – descended upon a ritzy private home in La Jolla on August 29, 7 p.m. for The Speakeasy Casino & Soirée.   Party goers gave the password and entered a juice joint where the roaring 20s came alive – all to raise dough for a group that is the absolutely the cat’s meow – the Girls Think Tank (“GTT”), a local nonprofit awarded a Channel 10 television Leadership Award in 2008 for its homelessness work. 

The Speakeasy featured a 1920’s costume contest, Jazz Age music, heavy appetizers, an open bar with Prohibition Punch, and unlimited absinthe for donors over $250. Guests played in a No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament, craps, and blackjack. Silent and live auctions offered swanky items including a trip to Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris, a ski week in Montana, and an autographed U2 guitar. Radio host Jon Elliott MC’ed the event, and the host committee included City Council member Marti Emerald.

 “Like the end of the 1920’s and the 1930’s, America is facing increased insecurity, joblessness, and homelessness. The number of homeless in San Diego rose over ten percent from 2007 to 2008, and we just learned the number downtown has risen by 1,000. It’s time for Girls Think Tank to jumpstart its efforts. Proceeds from The Speakeasy will help us transition from an all-volunteer operation to one with a paid executive director,“ said Rachel Jensen of GTT.

 In addition to providing Winter Survivor Backpacks with warm clothes and supplies to homeless people, GTT advocates for supportive housing and better living conditions, and has convened a Homeless Action Committee to bring together stakeholders – judges, attorneys, the police department, business owners, citizens, advocates, and homeless people – to find common ground and solutions.  With rape up 30% in San Diego, GTT recently launched a new project, AVOW (Take A VOW to end violence against women). As a grassroots collective that grew out of a dinner party among girlfriends in 2006, GTT provides a vehicle for citizens to become hands-on change agents in San Diego. For more information about The Speakeasy and Girls Think Tank, visit GirlsThinkTank.org, email girlsthinktank@gmail.com, or call 619-228-1686.