This Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 7:30 pm in Mount Holyoke College’s Blanchard Great Room, there will be a college a cappella benefit for the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless Individuals. The MHC Nice Shoes, M&Cs and V8s; and Smith College Groove and Vibes will perform. We are very grateful for their generosity. You can find tickets and donate at bit.ly/BeneJam23 This YouTube playlist has a preview of the groups involved.

Damp streets and frigid nights are a recipe for frostbite. Friends of Hampshire County Homeless continues to partner with MANNA and Cathedral in the Night to provide boots, socks and winter coats to our patrons in need. We started the original program after noticing a number of individuals at the shelter in light or worn-out sneakers, when there was snow on the ground. To contribute, visit our donate page.

On February 25, 2023, the Smith College a cappella community joined with Smith Celebrations Dance Company, Smith Chamber Singers, and performers from Amherst College, UMass and Longmeadow High School for our annual House Music benefit. All of the money we received went to our collaborative project with Independent Housing Solutions. We’re still accepting donations on line (hint, hint). You can see the entire concert on YouTube.

October 2, 2022 marked Northampton’s 31st annual Shelter Sunday—an effort which began as a drive to inspire every household in the Northampton area to contribute at least $1 to support essential service in the community. Today, Shelter Sunday is still raising crucial funds for three local agencies serving people who are serving those experiencing housing and food insecurity in Northampton and Easthampton: Hampshire Friends of the Homeless, Manna Community Kitchen, and ServiceNet. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Your support is very important to many people struggling to get by.

Smith College’s much-anticipated Christmas Vespers program was held on Sunday, December 4th at 4:00 pm in John M. Greene Hall, on the campus of Smith College. An annual tradition at Smith, the Christmas Vespers performance tells the story of advent through hymns and other anthems, prayers, and scripture readings. The services will be led by Rev. Matilda Rose Cantwell, director of Religious and Spiritual Life, with readings by members of the Smith College senior class, staff, and faculty. The music portion of the program will feature the Smith College Chorus, Glee Club, Chamber Singers, Handbell Choir, and Orchestra, with a special appearance from the Campus School Choir. A free-will donation will be collected for the Hampshire County Interfaith Cot Shelter Program. It was streamed on Facebook, and remains available. We are very grateful for the continuing support of the Smith College Music Department and the Smith College Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Two-piano benefit! Mark your calendar on December 2 for a spectacular offering! Brenda Moore Miller and Meg Kelsey Wright will be presenting a two-piano recital of a program including Schumann, Mozart, Khatchaturian, Poulenc, Grieg, & Piazzolla, on Village Hill in Northampton. If you love classical piano this is not to be missed. A minimum donation of $25 is requested to support the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless. Come enjoy an evening of great music while giving support to homeless individuals in our local communities. Space is limited: please RSVP to: mkwpianostudio@gmail.com

With winter temperatures well below freezing, the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless will again be partnering with MANNA and Cathedral in the Night to present vouchers for boots, socks and winter coats to our patrons in need. We started the original program after noticing a number of individuals at the shelter in light or worn-out sneakers, when there was snow on the ground. To contribute, visit our donate page.

Saturday, February 17 at 7 PM Helen Hills Hills Chapel, 123 Elm St, Northampton See event on Facebook Women’s college a cappella groups come together to help homeless youth of the Pioneer Valley. Featuring Smith Blackappella, Smith Groove, the Smith Noteables, the Smiffenpoofs, the Smith Smithereens, the Smith College Vibes, the Amherst College Sabrinas and the Mount Holyoke Victory Eights. All proceeds benefit a Friends of the Homeless – DIAL/SELF program to provide supportive affordable housing for unaccompanied youth, ages 18-24. Tickets: $10 general (students by donation), available at the door, online (see above) and at State Street Fruit in Northampton, and Cooper’s Corner in Florence.

Shelter Sunday is October 15 this year. This is the one-weekend citywide fundraiser to support four programs which help the neediest in our community, those who are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or hungry. The programs are: the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless (for the Interfaith Winter Shelter), the Grove Street Inn (year-round shelter managed by ServiceNet), the Single Room Occupancy Project (Center for Human Development program providing supports for people in single-room rentals), and MANNA Meals (providing free community meals several days a week & on some major holidays). This year it will be centered on a citywide mailing, and collection sites at a number of major food stores and delicatessens. Please donate as generously as you can: it’s crucial to our organization budgets, and thus to our clients.

Paddle for Home! is happening again this year, on Sunday June 25.  A group of us will paddle down the CT River from the Sunderland bridge to the new Northampton boat ramp, starting between 9:30 and 10:00.  There will also be an opportunity for people to do a shorter paddle starting at the boat ramp take-out point, and joining the other paddlers as they arrive.  Food, music, & celebration at the boat ramp parking area will follow, from 1:30 – 3:00.  To participate, go to this link and once there, click on “join this team”: Paddle for Home! site If you have questions, email us through the contact on the Friends website, or call Rick at 413-320-1886. Though people can donate directly to the main Paddle for Home! site, we encourage participants to ask friends and relatives to donate in honor of their paddle.  The three top fundraisers will win prizes to recognize their effort.  We are almost to our goal for creating the housing — in the home stretch.  Help us reach that goal and finish the supportive housing program that will lift young adults out of homelessness! We thank Northampton Community Rowing, the Connecticut River Conservancy, Sylvester’s Restaurant, and the American Canoe Association, for co-sponsoring this event & making it possible!