Family Promise 17th Annual Dinner Auction
SPARTA — Family Promise of Sussex County, formerly known as Sussex County Interfaith Hospitality Network, will hold its annual Dinner Auction on Saturday, March 28 at the Lake Mohawk Country Club in Sparta. Corporate sponsorships are available, and tickets are now on sale.
The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a large silent auction and cocktail hour featuring various food stations. A 50-50 and a raffle precede the seated full-course dinner at 7:30 p.m., which is followed by a program and a live auction.
Auction highlights will include vacation getaways, restaurant “dine-arounds,” gift baskets, and event tickets. Friends and businesses are invited to donate items or sponsor the event, and all will be acknowledged in the ad program.
Family Promise has chosen Dr. Jeffrey Liegner as this year’s honoree. Dr.Liegner, an opthamologist in Sparta, will be recognized and honored for his leadership in establishing the Newton Free Clinic, which has provided medical care for Family Promise guests.
The evening’s program will also include the presentation of this year’s Volunteer Spirit Award as well as a short presentation given by a former guest who was in the Family Promise program last year. James P. Furgeson, Director of Community & Donor Relations at Newton Medical Center Foundation, will serve as the evening’s auctioneer.
“With limited affordable housing and unforeseen misfortunes, homelessness and poverty become a sad reality for some families and individuals in Sussex County” said Pam Ryerson, Executive Director.
“Family Promise provides shelter and offers empowering tools that enable people to live independently.”
All proceeds from the Dinner Auction benefit Family Promise of Sussex County, a non-profit organization created in 1998 in response to the growing number of homeless families in the county. More than 1,000 volunteers from Sussex County houses of worship, scout groups, and women’s clubs serve as hosts providing meals, care, and compassion, while professional staff give supportive services and on-going case management. The Family Promise program has a proven track record of helping its “guests” get their feet on the ground and become self-sufficient as they transition very quickly to their own apartments and jobs.
Today, Family Promise has more than 182 affiliates in 43 states and the District of Columbia. It is recognized as the leading volunteer-driven nonprofit providing services to homeless families. Nationwide, Family Promise provided shelter and social services to more than 50,000 people last year, with nearly 60% of them children.
Tickets are $65 a person and can be purchased directly by calling 973-579-1180 or by email at pam@familypromisesussex,org. Tickets are not available at the door and must be reserved by Friday, March 20. For more information about Family Promise of Sussex County, go to www.helpnjhomeless.org.