TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

The scene was much like any other Super Bowl party: burgers on the grill, chips on the table, and fans screaming loudly as the Giants scored their first touchdown.

But for the mostly homeless crowd at St. Vincent de Paul's Sunday, the gathering meant more than just a good game.

"It's about bringing people together so we don't have to think about being homeless," said David Olsen, who sported a Buffalo Bills cap and rooted for the Giants. "For three hours, you can be in a family setting."

That's exactly why St. Vincent opened its doors for the occasion, said Deacon Richard Lambert, who helped organize the shindig. Sunday marked the second time St. Vincent has hosted a Super Bowl party, and the attendees doubled to about 80 this year.

"No one else invites these people to their home for the Super Bowl," Lambert said. "I figured it'd be good for them to come celebrate the Super Bowl like everyone else."

Monsignor Craig Harrison of St. Francis of Assisi Church contributed the food and gift certificates, which were raffled off throughout the event.

Guests, the vast majority of whom live on the streets or the Bakersfield Rescue Mission, signed up in advance for the party, though Lambert also welcomed some walk-in visitors. The rules were simple: no alcohol, no drugs and no violence.

"We try to make it hospitable," he said. "No one ever waits on them. It makes them feel good and gives them esteem."

Having something to look forward to on a sunny Sunday--when many services shut down--was a real treat, said Anthony Hannah. Hannah, a Dallas Cowboys fan rooting for the Giants, said he came to hang out with his friends and enjoy the moment. He said he also enjoyed the commercials where were "pretty hilarious."

From his perch in the center of the room's dozen tables, he cheered--Let's go Giants!--in a deep, booming voice.

"For a lot of people who are homeless, there is no where to go," he said. "This is amazing. It's a real blessing."

Michelle Sierra said the event allowed her to forget, if only for a few hours, that she and her grown son would return to the streets Sunday night.

"It's hard," she said, and paused to survey the lively crowd. "This is enjoyable."

For some at the event Sunday, there was hope that the festivities weren't just a blip of normalcy. Olsen, the Bills fan, said he recently moved to the Bakersfield Rescue Mission after camping out on the streets for a decade.

"I have a roof over my head, and food," he said. "I'm getting my life together."