Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity to host virtual auction

Dec. 3, 2020 | Carolyn Noel
carolynn@thereminder.com

SPRINGFIELD – The Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) will host a virtual event and online auction called “Raise the Roof” on Dec. 3. This virtual event is replacing Habitat for Humanity’s annual in-person “Fall Feastival” due to COVID-19 and the necessary social distancing measures in place.

The Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity has been around since 1987 and has successfully helped over 100 local families “secure the dream of home ownership,” according to Fundraising & Volunteer Coordinator, John O’Farrell. Those seeking help from GSHFH must meet financial criteria and submit applications and paperwork to be considered. The GSHFH then helps chosen applicants create a secure, safe home through low interest mortgages, sweat equity, volunteer hours and the support of many donors and community organizations. Currently, the GSHFH is in the process of completing two homes for their partner families. COVID-19 has made circumstances difficult for the organization this year, as they weren’t allowed to have volunteers on construction sites until this past September.

“It’s been more of a process in slow motion, but we’re still moving forward with our programs and our projects because they are so important to our partner families,” said O’Farrell.

The Fall Feastival is GSHFH’s usual fundraising event that features food, networking, cocktails and live and silent auctions. The Feastival has been occurring for twenty years, and O’Farrell said that GSHFH hopes to bring it back in 2021. For 2020, the event will be virtual to keep everyone safe.

“I think this is going to actually be more of a convenience for people because they can participate from the comfort of their own homes,” he said.

The Raise the Roof event will begin at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3. It will feature an update from the executive director, videos from Westfield’s ReStore, partner families that directly benefit from GSHFH’s program and input from two board members on why Habitat for Humanity is so important to them. The virtual event is expected to be a half hour long and, at the end, participants will be encouraged to check out GSHFH’s online auction where proceeds will benefit the organization.

The online auction began on Dec. 1 and will close on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m.

This will give participants plenty of time to bid and update their bids on favorite items of their choosing. In past years, items such as VIP concert tickets, Red Sox tickets and a week-long Napa Valley getaway have been auctioned off, resulting in GSHFH raising upwards of $50,000. There will be no cost to attend the virtual event or the auction.

“We really wanted to take advantage of the virtual opportunity, so this is open to everybody. We have not put a cost on the link to the virtual event and to our online auction,” said O’Farrell.

According to O’Farrell, this event would not be possible without the help of GSHFH’s sponsors.

“We would also like to thank our many sponsors for their generous support, including our Gold level sponsors: PeoplesBank & ABSAK, LLC; Silver level sponsors: Country Bank and Ernst Financial Group; Bronze level sponsors: Monson Savings Bank, Florence Bank, and Reminder Publishing; and our supporting sponsors: H.L. Dempsey Co.,Inc., Associated Building Wreckers, Collins Pipe & Supply Co., USA Waste & Recycling, and Ray Catuogno, as well as all of our auction item donors for making this year’s event possible.” he said.

The links to both the virtual event and the auction will be available on www.habitatspringfield.org just prior to their start times.

Those who can’t attend the event are also able to make donations to GSHFH directly on their website.

Although these are unprecedented times, O’Farrell says that GSHFH is still excited about this virtual event and is hopeful for a great outcome.

“I’m most excited about continuing to bring people together who traditionally support our mission and also encourage new people to check out what we’re all about,” he said. “We’ve got a really important job here and that is to work with our partner families, to help them improve their living conditions and to help give them a solid foundation in building a better future for themselves and their families.”

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