Music star Dierks Bentley will be part of a fundraiser for Safe Haven Family Shelter, from 5 to 8:30 p.m., Dec. 4, at Taqueria del Sol, 2317 12th Avenue South, in Nashville.

The restaurant is generally closed Mondays, but will open and donate all of the evening’s food and beverages sold to Safe Haven, a local agency that helps the homeless with an emphasis on families.

Bentley and his wife Cassidy, Zac and Caroline Thomas, Vic and Liz Thomas, Taqueria Nashville and Taqueria Atlanta will each offer matching gifts equal to food and beverage proceeds, according to Safe Haven. The matching gifts will effectively provide Safe Haven $6 for every $1 spent.

It will be the third annual fundraiser named “A Taqueria Holiday,” which has raised more than $73,000 to date.

For information visit www.safehaven.org.

Hundreds of hikers raise about $130K for Safe Haven

The fundraiser follows an estimated 900 hikers who raised about $130,000 at Edwin Warner Park on Nov. 4, for Safe Haven.

The 13th Annual Hike for the Homeless is one of two signature events held by Safe Haven Family Shelter, whose work to house, support, empower and advocate for the homeless has an emphasis on families.

"With Nashville becoming the it city, affordable housing continues to dwindle," said Rachael Wilkins, development director for Safe Haven. “Even if a family is making a living wage, it is difficult with the cost of housing rising in our city, We are seeing a lot of families coming to Safe Haven who are experiencing homelessness for the first time.”

Saturday's hike wasn’t competitive and offers two trails to choose from. No entry fee was charged, relying on donations with many participants creating teams to raise money and solicit donations.

The estimated $130,000 raised was $10,000 more than the goal set by organizers and is the most ever raised by the event.

“Our children and I, we talk about this quite frequently,” said Robert Moskowitz, who brought his two 7-year-old children. “The kids are pretty aware of homelessness and what that means, so it was important to them.”

Safe Haven works with more than 80 families and 200 children annually to provide shelter and housing. This year, Safe Haven has placed 40 families into permanent housing, officials said.

Job training, financial literacy, case management, children's education and programs, nutrition education, wellness activities are also provided. Safe Haven is also partnering with landlords and property owners for assistance to address the decline in affordable housing for families it serves, Wilkins said.

“They do so much good for so many people,” said Phyllis Neal, 47, a former client of Safe Haven who was homeless about 10 years ago and now owns her own cleaning business.

Music executive Mike Curb of Curb Records was the honorary chairman for the hike. NewsChannel 5’s Vicki Yates was the emcee and Ruthie Collins provided live music as the hike also had food, children’s activities. Many hikers bring dogs to the hike, and a new dog trick contest was popular.

“I just hate to think of somebody being out on the street,” Safe Haven volunteer Lynnetta Lyons said. “If they have a roof over their head at least they can get out and find some work and help the family out. But when you are out on street and don’t have to sleep, I don’t want to imagine that. This is one way everybody can give back to the community.”

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.