BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) -- Bakersfield Regional Homeless Collaborative held it's annual homeless memorial at Union Cemetery this morning in honor of the most vulnerable population in Bakersfield. It was a time to sing, pray, lay flowers and tell the stories of lives lost on the streets. The most recent data from the homeless collaborative is from 2023, which said 20-30 people without shelter lost their lives. This memorial was to honor them again, and all recent deaths from this year. As 'Amazing Grace' was sung in the background, Jacqueline Cevieux was reminded of her friend Matthew. "We do this event to honor the lives of those who have passed while on the streets or in shelters or alone," said Cevieux. "I had someone, who was a close friend of mine pass away while he was homeless and it was a mixture of substance abuse and suicide." Cevieux was homeless herself, and now works for the Bakersfield-Kern Homeless Collaborative. She hosted the memorial event and talked about one of the last conversations she had with Matthew. "He had said, 'I just can't do it out here anymore.' I'm like, 'well you just have to hold on like the pandemic's gonna end, there's gonna be shelter beds and he's like, 'I can't do it out here' and that was the last time I talked to him," said Cevieux. "I found out later that year he actually passed away in his car from a drug overdose, but I knew it as a suicide." Amazon truck collides with school bus on 7th Standard Rd: CHP The homeless, faith-based organizations, and shelter staff all came out to memorialize the lives they've helped. One flood ministries Shelter Staffer, Miguel Solorezano, sheltered a 63-year-old man named Richard who passed away in October of this year. Miguel was glad that in Richard's final hours, he had walls and a bed. "I think he passed in peace, I think he really, it really meant a lot of for us to get him off the streets and be able to have him at least housed in his last moments," said Solorezano. White doves were released to symbolize the deceased's journey onwards and whatever comes next. A line one minister repeated at the service captured the hearts of the audience in saying, "Jesus has prepared a mansion for them."