I haven’t written on this site in awhile, but I try to keep you informed on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and hope you follow us there. Truth is, we have been very busy and that’s a good thing.
Our Summer in the City last year gleaned 81,000 cans of food, we had very successful food drives in the fall at Georgetown Visitation, and with our friends at the Greg Gannon Food Drive. Our Gala last November was our most successful (read profitable) and everyone said it was also the most fun.
We just completed our Annual Lenten Food Drive (37,000 cans of food) and are gearing up for the 6th Annual Summer in the City food drive which begins Memorial Day. There is a lot of behind the scenes hard work that goes into planning these major food drives, but our most vital work happens each day as we deliver the fresh produce, milk and eggs, meat and poultry and “fill in the blanks” in the inventory of non-perishables in between food drives. And we get to spend time with the client families we serve.
Also, as you’ll note on the home page, we’ve selected the Omni Shoreham for our 6th Annual Gala Dinner and Silent Auction (can you believe we are 6 already?) on Friday, November 22, 2019. We’re in the famous Blue Room and we promise another stellar event. I’d like to take this opportunity to address the elephant in the room, the increase in price. The honesty is that we had been spoiled for 5 years, by a Board Director who provided everything at cost. David Piscola is so good that he got promoted to a hotel 3 times the size. The new management is unwilling to provide the same deal and we cannot possibly afford their counter-offer. No hard feelings, we had a wonderful 5 year run at the Capital Hilton and will always remember the great food, service and courtesies extended to us.
But we move on to the legendary Omni Shoreham and the promise of even better. We looked at a number of venues and the Shoreham came out on top. The decision to raise the price was made by a Gala Executive Committee of ten members of the Board and was unanimous. While our profit margin will decrease, we will still provide the fabulous evening to which you have grown accustomed. We’re still the best and lowest priced Gala in the City of Washington and we really need this evening to ensure that our work continues in 2020. We hope to have your continued support.
Together, we’re helping a lot of families who have grown t count on us — and appreciate us. On behalf of all of them, I thank you.
Brian Mulholland