Maya Higa on Twitch-TV reacts to the outpouring of gifts to 5Cities Homeless Coalition on her 21st birthday.
Cal Poly student Maya Higa hoped to raise $1,000 for the homeless when she took to Twitch.TV on May 24 to talk about her time working at the 5Cities Homeless Coalition’s Warming Center and to celebrate her 21st birthday. Three hours later, she had reached $20,000 and climbing in donations, ending up with $32,000 to fund programs and services for individuals and families in southern San Luis Obispo County who are homeless or facing homelessness.
Some 685 individual gifts from her more than 7,000 viewers that evening poured into the Coalition’s coffers in just over five hours, ranging in size from $1 to $1,500. Coalition Executive Director Janna Nichols says the money will go to the organization’s immediate needs fund and to support the Warming Center that it operates in the winter months.
Higa is a junior at Cal Poly majoring in agricultural communication. Her channel on Twitch.TV, which she started three months ago, usually focuses on her interests in conservation education and falconry. With more than 44,000 followers, she takes to the Internet three times a week: Mondays at 8 pm, Tuesdays at 8:30 pm and Fridays at 4 pm.
5Cities Homeless Coalition is recognized as a leading advocate for the homeless in South County. The Coalition strengthens the community by mobilizing resources, fostering hope, and advocating for the homeless and those facing homelessness.