The Front Door Agency hosted its largest fundraiser of the year on Sunday, April 7th. A special thank you to the Nashua Country Club for their exceptional hospitality and atmosphere during the event where guests enjoyed food and beverage tastings from over 20 local restaurants and chefs. Attendees participated in a silent auction featuring more than 100 items to bid on, as well as an exciting live auction, hosted by Auctioneer, John Terrio, of Auction Knights JWT & Associates. Upon completion of the in-person event, the fun continued with a weeklong online auction showcasing a new lineup of items to bid on.
The Gourmet Festival and Auction celebrated its 36th year this year and continues to be the Agency’s most successful fundraiser, raising $260,000 in gross proceeds to support the Front Door Agency’s mission to end homelessness. “We are incredibly proud of the Gourmet Festival and Auction, it is not often a nonprofit fundraiser carries this kind of longevity,” said CEO Maryse Wirbal. “We are blessed to have wonderful partners, sponsors, restaurants and chefs, and community support around the event, helping to make it the success it is.”
Participating restaurants and vendors included: Buckley’s Bakery & Café, Celebrations Catering, The Event Center – Courtyard Marriott, Kinsley House of Pizza, Margaritas, Mike’s Italian Kitchen, Nashua Country Club, Odd Fellows Brewing Co., Pine State Beverage, Rick’s Protein Balls, San Francisco Kitchen, Shanghai Osaka, Soel Sistas, Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, Stella Blu, Sub Zero, Union Public House, and Woodman’s Artisan Bakery.
The proceeds from the event help the Front Door Agency advance its mission to help families and individuals in the Greater Nashua community through its four programs, which include a Transformational Housing Program for single mothers working to become self-sufficient. Alyssa, a single mother in Phase III of the program was the client speaker at the event. Alyssa spoke of her past struggles, as well as her successes, as she is nearing completion of a master electrician program. Sammi, a participant in the Transformational Housing program, was awarded a $4,000 Dr. Ronald Kraus Memorial Scholarship at the event to help aid her in pursuing an associate degree and her CRSW. The scholarship is in honor of former Front Door board member and community advocate, Dr. Ronald Kraus.
The Gourmet Festival & Auction was made possible through the support of the Front Door Agency’s Corporate Partners – Platinum Partner: Schroeder Construction, Bronze Partners: BAE Systems, Event Center, Courtyard Marriott, NBT Bank, Service Credit Union, Southern NH Health, Stanley Elevators, and St. Joseph Hospital, Media Partner: Frank FM.
Major Gourmet Event Sponsors include: RBC Wealth Management (Presenting Sponsor); Earl S. Prolman, CLU, ChFC (Auctioneer Sponsor); Law Family Companies (Community Sponsor); Eastern Bank, Lovering Auto Group, and Nash Foundation (Caring Sponsors); Eaton & Berube Insurance Agency (Golden Brick Sponsor); Bangor Savings Bank and Global Plastics (Champion Sponsors); Broad Street Planning, CGI Solutions, Charles Schwab, Chuck’s Auto Repair, Clark Insurance, Dartmouth Health, Devine Millimet, Enterprise Bank, Focused Eye Care, Frasca & Frasca, The Harbor Group, Monahan Companies, NH Healthy Families, Rivier University, Sharon Rose Cosmetics, the Rev. Dr. “Odie” & Heidi Odierna (Courage Sponsors); Silverstone Living (Item Pick-up Sponsor).
