"Barry Del Buono, who died Dec. 26 after a battle with cancer, played many roles in his 74 years. He was a former priest. A husband and father. A longtime nonprofit leader. And a homeless advocate who spent his third act as a teacher. Barry's arc was not just the homeless, said his son, Don Ho. It was improving the livelihoods of people. That certainly seemed to be his life's mission."
"Del Buono grew the organization's annual budget from its initial $17,000 to nearly $10 million. U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo, who knew Del Buono for four decades, described him as having a combination of chutzpah and deep commitment to his mission. Whether he wore a collar or not, he understood who he was serving, said Liccardo, the former mayor of San Jose. Certainly, his passion for tackling homelessness became infectious. He used every tool at his disposal, and the community is better for it."
"Del Buono was a large presence figuratively and literally on the Silicon Valley nonprofit scene, even though his family said he really shied away from the limelight. His son, Ben Del Buono, got a first-hand look at his father's work whether it was serving people in a kitchen line or attending fundraising events with the valley's movers and shakers."
Barry Del Buono served as a priest, husband, father, nonprofit leader, homeless advocate, and teacher, dedicating his third act to teaching. He helped found Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen in 1980 and led EHC LifeBuilders (now HomeFirst) for 27 years, growing its annual budget from $17,000 to nearly $10 million before retiring in 2007. He was known for combining chutzpah with deep commitment, understood the people he served, and used every tool available to tackle homelessness. Family members recalled his transformational influence and preference to let work speak for itself. A memorial service is scheduled at St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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