Feed the Hungry

2023 Feed the Hungry Gala raises close to $400K!

2023 Feed the Hungry Gala guests bidding with paddles

Thank you for helping us Feed the Hungry!

2023 Feed the Hungry Gala guests bidding with paddles

Hundreds of Interfaith’s  amazing supporters gathered on December 8 to “Party with a Purpose” at our 26th annual Feed the Hungry Gala.

Held at Granite Links Golf Club, the event raised more than $395,000 to support Interfaith’s programs. Thank you to all who attended and donated!

We are overjoyed with the outpouring of support of our Feed the Hungry Gala! Accounting for a significant percentage of Interfaith’s annual budget, the Gala is instrumental in allowing us to carry out our mission. Our food pantry distributes more than 107,000 bags of food and personal care items each year and its seasonal programs provide local families in need with Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving meal packages, school backpacks and more. This season we distributed holiday gifts to close to 900 children. The generous support given through our annual Gala enables us to keep up with the increased number of families coming to our doors in need of food, mental health counseling and homelessness prevention assistance.

Getting Ready

The planning for this event started nearly a year ago, securing corporate sponsorships and organizing the auction and games. A special thank you to this year’s lead sponsors: Presenter Sponsors Arbella Insurance Foundation and Summit Energy, Champion Sponsor Walmart and our Hero Sponsors Colonial Federal Savings Bank, Emergent BioSolutions, The Heritage Companies, Plymouth Quarries, Quincy Mutual Group and Signet Electronic Systems. We are also incredibly grateful for our “Friends of the Feed the Hungry Gala” sponsors. Your support means the world to us!

Our morning kicked off bright and early! Our fantastic volunteers from Arbella Insurance spent the day hauling supplies to the venue, setting up signage and games, and creating a magical holiday atmosphere at Granite Links Golf Club.

Tamie from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts designed and built an amazing apple tree and produce display in the Granite Links foyer.

Blue Cross donated all the produce in the display and the fresh food was taken back to Interfaith’s food pantry after the event to be distributed to our clients.

THANK YOU BCBSMA!

Food & Drink

After checking in, guests were greeted with a festive “Winter Wonderland” welcome cocktail from Liberty Tavern. Attendees enjoyed delicious hand-rolled sushi from our friends at JP Fuji and oysters on the half shell from Ocean Seafood International while browsing our silent auction table.

This year’s auction showcased spectacular packages including getaways, sports tickets and more. Thank you so much to the hundreds of companies that donated auction items and gift certificates!

In the ballroom, guests were able to sample savory dishes and sweet treats from local restaurants Abby Park & Novara, Alma Nove, Granite Links, Liberty Tavern, Local 02045, Miam Miam, Pearl & Lime, The Range, and Weathervane.


Representatives from Article XV Brewing Co, Barrel House Z, Vitamin Sea Brewing and Widowmaker Brewing served up their craft bees, and Bin Ends poured wine tastings for the crowd.


Entertainment

Fun games, including Putt-Putt, the Giving Tree (where guests could purchase gifts for a local children), Plinko, and the popular Snow Ball Toss game, added to the jovial atmosphere, where prizes valued at up to $500 were up for grabs! Guests also enjoyed live entertainment by the Belted Galloways. The evening ended with our signature Heads & Tails game, AKA Blinky Light Game, featuring a $500 prize!

Guests received a sweet dessert donated by Purefections before heading out for the night.

The Cause

The evening’s program included a moving video that featured one of Interfaith’s clients. While the statistics of the number of people we serve sure are astonishing, you can truly grasp the impact that Interfaith has by listening to our clients tell their stories firsthand. Melody bravely shared her story of what brought her to our food pantry.

 

This past year, Interfaith served thousands of local households in need. Your support makes it possible to help our neighbors in need, like Melody. Because of you we can:

  • provide food to thousands of local residents every year
  • offer mental health counseling to families and individuals who in many cases have nowhere else to turn for help
  • prevent homelessness for hundreds of families every year

More Photos

Want to see more photos from the event?

Check out our album on Facebook. Were you spotted by our talented photographer, Matt Teuten Photography?

There are also photos from our Gala Photo Booth.

Be sure to Save the Date for our 27th annual Feed the Hungry Gala on December 6, 2024!

 


Help Feed the Hungry at Interfaith’s December 3 Gala

Our signature fundraising gala returns in-person this year with all the entertainment, food and beverages, games and auction packages that the event is well known for! A limited number of tickets are now available. The 2021 Feed the Hungry Gala,  will be held on December 3 at Granite Links Golf Club. A virtual ticket option is also available if you would like to watch the event program remotely. 

Jp Fuji Group at the 2019 Feed the Hungry Gala
Jp Fuji Group provides food samples at the 2019 Feed the Hungry Gala.

Food & Beverage Highlights

Now in its 24th year, the gala features a chef dine around where attendees sample food and beverages from some of the region’s top restaurants. Participating restaurants include Abby Park, Big Rock Oyster Company, Fratelli’s Pastry Shop, Granite Links Golf Club, JP Fuji Group, Miam Miam Macaronerie, Pearl & Lime Bar & Cocina, Purefections Chocolate, The Range, The Tavern at Weathervane, and Victory Point Marina Bay. Beverages will be provided from Bent Water Brewing, Bin Ends Wine, Spiritfruit, Stellwagen Beer Company, and Widowmaker Brewing.

Attendees at the 2019 Feed the Hungry Gala raise their paddles during the fundraising portion of the evening program.
Attendees at the 2019 Feed the Hungry Gala raise their paddles during the fundraising portion of the evening program.

You’ll be ablet to participate in games with prizes valued up to $500! And this year’s silent auction features Boston sports tickets, mini vacations, one-of-a-kind items, unique experiences, and so much more! The South Shore’s Old Oaken Bucket Band will be providing live music.

Thank You Sponsors!

The 2021 gala is sponsored by many generous individuals and businesses, including Presenter Level Sponsors Arbella Insurance Foundation and Mayor Tom Koch, the City of Quincy; and Hero Level Sponsors Foxcroft Real Estate Management, Granite City Electric Supply Company, MavroCreative, Plymouth Quarries, Quincy Mutual Group, Rural Masonic Lodge of Quincy, Signet Electronic Systems, Inc., and Walmart.

Gala attendees browse the silent auction packages at the 2019 Feed the Hungry Gala.
Gala attendees browse the silent auction packages at the 2019 Feed the Hungry Gala.

Sponsorships and tickets are available now at FeedtheHungryGala.org. Only 250 tickets (half capacity) will be sold this year, so act fast!

Feed the Hungry Gala Announces Milestones, New Co-Chair

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Donna Mavromates

We are delighted to announce that Donna Mavromates of Hingham will serve as co-chair of the 20th Annual Feed the Hungry Gala. Mavromates joins Ally Donnelly of Hingham, co-chair since 2012, in leading our annual drive to raise money for Interfaith’s hunger, mental health and emergency assistance programs.

A fixture of the South Shore business community, Mavromates spent several years as marketing director and Vice President of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce. She currently owns MavroCreative in Hingham, a full-service graphic and web design agency, which also donates their services to Interfaith. Her experience working with small business owners and entrepreneurs at the Chamber drives her passion for providing services for those groups. “I love to help nurture and give small businesses the support they need,” Mavromates said.

A mother of two college-age twin girls, Mavromates was drawn to Interfaith’s mission because of the focus on families. “I became aware of how much a need there is on the South Shore,” Mavromates said. “There are families that don’t have food on the table. Most importantly, there are kids that don’t have food on the table. When I learned that I started to understand the depth of the problem.”

She shared a memory of 2015’s Feed the Hungry gala where a former Interfaith client spoke to the audience. The speaker, a Marine, told a harrowing tale of domestic abuse, unexpected need and recovery. Mavromates and her husband Stan, also a Marine, solidly connected with her message. The realization that hunger and need could affect anyone drew her in more. “It can be anyone,” she said. “People fall on difficult times with no fault of their own.”

After serving on the board of directors at Interfaith Social Services for several years, Mavromates joined the gala committee in 2014.

This year’s Feed the Hungry Gala will be held December 8, at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy. The event celebrates two milestones in Interfaith’s history – the 70th anniversary of the organization and the 20th anniversary of the fundraising gala. “Being able to recognize the impact that 70 years’ worth of services have done for this community is huge,” Mavromates said. “It deserves to be acknowledged in a pretty big way.”

Gala attendees will be treated to live music, games, door prizes and entertainment. Chefs from top South Shore-area restaurants will provide tastings and local wine and spirits distributors will showcase beverages. Guests have the chance to bid on silent and live auction items and most importantly, hear about Interfaith’s critical mission to feed, clothe and comfort more than 20,000 hungry local residents each year.

Sponsorship opportunities for the 2017 Gala are still available. Get your tickets now! “The event has sold out for the past three years in a row,” said Mavromates. “I suggest that everyone get their tickets soon.” Get all the details at FeedHungryGala.org.