On Saturday, May 5, Circle of Hope held its second annual spring fundraiser, HOPE Blooms, to raise money to support their work on behalf of homeless individuals and families in Boston and Metro West. One hundred and forty guests came together to welcome spring and celebrate a record-breaking year of support for the homeless children, women, and men Circle of Hope serves. Through sponsorships, ticket sales, a silent auction, and a “Fund-A-Need” program, HOPE Blooms raised $87,000 to support Circle of Hope’s work throughout the year.
The event raised awareness of Circle of Hope’s mission to promote the health and dignity of homeless individuals and families by providing clothing, toiletries, and necessities to 21 homeless shelters and clinics in Boston and Metro West. Guests enjoyed catered dinner while listening to a guest speaker, Camille Fenton, describe Circle of Hope’s impact on her life when she was living in Project Hope Family Shelter. Fenton, now employed full-time and living independently, said of Circle of Hope’s donations:
“Receiving those items boosted my confidence and my self-esteem. They inspired me because when I walked around in them, you could not tell me that I was not going to get a job simply by how I looked … I realized in those moments that I wanted to make people feel just as good … I wanted to be a source of encouragement, inspiration, and motivation to others, like Circle of Hope did for me.”
Guests at HOPE Blooms also celebrated Circle of Hope’s vital support last winter, during which the organization gave more clothing and necessities to homeless individuals than any other season in its ten-year history. In November alone, Circle of Hope volunteers delivered $75,550 worth of clothing to homeless infants, children, and adults – an all-time high for the organization.
Circle of Hope is open eleven months of the year, providing clothing, shoes, coats, linens, baby items, and toiletries to twenty homeless shelters and clinics throughout Boston and Metro West. Donations are sorted, packaged, and delivered within two weeks – and sometimes two days. At the heart of Circle of Hope’s operations are its committed volunteers. More than 90 individuals provide 28,000 hours of labor annually, helping Circle of Hope serve more than 5,000 homeless individuals each year.
