To entice attendees to Vero’s growing number of fundraising events, committees need to slip on their creative chapeaus, and that’s just what the imaginative group working on the Homeless Family Center’s annual dinner has done.
“Every year we try to step it up a notch; we want to give the community something better than we’ve ever done before,” says chair emeritus Liz Mayo, who has turned over chairmanship of the dinner to a fellow dynamo, Jerusha Stewart.
“The Homeless Family Center supports families. We take care of families. That’s what we do,” says Stewart. “The focus for the annual dinner has always been home and what’s important to us – having a home, dreaming of home, having those we love around us at home. So what brings a family together? Having a family dinner.”
But the Nov. 3 Dress for Dinner evening at The Moorings that the center is planning sounds like it will be anything but an ordinary family dinner. The evening includes a Supper Club Cocktail Party, Big Dining Table Reveal and after-dinner dancing.
Inspired by a Dining by Design concept taking place in major cities across the country, designers will “dress the table,” each creating a three-dimensional dining vignette for one 10-person table. Guests will determine the recipient of the Best in Table award, and Mayo stresses that there will be no duplicates; every table will be unique.
“And everyone needs to make sure to bring their cameras because they’re going to want to photograph the tables so that they’ll have ideas for their private dinner parties,” adds Stewart.
Themes in the works are all over the board – a lavish Breakfast at Tiffany’s, quirky Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter Tea Party and lots of Vero-centric tablescapes, such as full moon, nautical and seaside.
“The designers get to stretch themselves in terms of what they’re going to present to the community, which I think is what makes it fun for them,” says Stewart. “This is something a little out of the box; a little different. And they get to support a cause, doing it in a way they wouldn’t normally get to do.”
Signed up to date are M Maison, Barbara Sharpe, Elegance by the Sea, the Patisserie, Elizabeth Kennedy Co. Catering, Chelsea’s Market on Cardinal with Elizabeth Taft Interior Designs, Heather Horowitz, Angela Speck Designs and Colettes Home and Yacht Interiors, with more in the works.
“There will be surprises galore for our guests. Just as everyone was very surprised last year at Orchid to find a ball field at the beach, this year I think they’re going to be very surprised at the antics we have up our sleeves,” says Stewart.
“There’s nothing like it that currently exists in Vero. This community has a wealth of creative design talent to support an event like this and really help it take off. We’re very thankful to all the designers who are putting their talent on the menu so we can turn the tables on homelessness.”
The event will help support the growing number of programs underway at the Homeless Family Center, including a number of new collaborations.
“I find that HFC is an opportunistic agency; people walk through the door and make things happen!” says an excited Mary Ellen Maguire, Homeless Family Center executive director.
One such person was a generous donor who took one of their regularly scheduled Wednesday afternoon tours. After learning that $10,000 was needed for portable classrooms to expand educational programs, Maguire said the woman came back the next day and handed her a check. The portable classrooms will house a children’s education room and an adult computer lab donated by Emile and John Brady.
Additionally, Katie Nall, program director at Indian River State College, has arranged to offer twice-weekly business classes there, with funding provided through a state program. HFC clients, as well as those from The Source, Camp Haven, Samaritan Center and the Children’s Home Society Transition Center, are already enrolled.
“So now they can take college classes free,” says Maguire. “They get six business certificates and they earn college credits. So when they’re done, they’re halfway finished with their Associate’s degree.”
And for the little ones, a generous donation by the Schooner Foundation, founded by Vin Ryan, allowed 40 children in need to attend summer camps at places such as Youth For Life, Extended Day and the Boys & Girls Clubs. A separate collaboration with the Mardy Fish Foundation enabled children to attend tennis camp.
“Again, for the first time ever, we were able to collaborate so that we could offer it to the community,” says Maguire, noting that the school district and other agencies helped to identify the children.
“It was wonderful; for the first time we’re really getting to families that are out in the community. Parents are very reluctant, because they’re afraid that DCF might get involved and take their kids away. So it’s really important to gain their trust. I think that’s the biggest step that we’re making.”
Funding from the John’s Island Foundation and numerous private donors enabled the center to remodel the facility over the summer, and it is also busy expanding A Second Chance Thrift Store and Training Center.
“I could never, ever, ever have dreamed of getting all of this done 10 months ago when I first started. It’s because people walk through the door and make it happen,” says Maguire. “I’m excited! We asked and people responded. It’s just amazing to me every day.”
For event tickets or more information, visit www.homelessfamilycenter.com
