Organ pipes in the Sanctuary of First Church in Cambridge. A wrought iron chandelier hangs in the foreground.

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Graphic for Homeless Ministries virtual gala

Homeless Ministries Raises $36,000 at Gala

March 2, 2021

First Church Homeless Ministries held its first-ever virtual fundraising gala on February 20, raising $36,000 to support the First Church Shelter and Friday Café. It was the largest amount the ministries have raised to date, and exceeded their goal of $30,000.

The UNCOMMON gala featured special guests Michael Sandel and Stephanie Paulsell, both members of the Harvard faculty, in a conversation about Dr. Sandel’s book The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? Staff, guests, and volunteers shared testimonies about the work of Homeless Ministries during the pandemic. First Church friend Bertrand Laurence provided a musical backdrop to slides of the ministries in action.

In a separate video, attendees were treated to a cooking demonstration by chef Tony Maws, longtime friend of Homeless Ministries, offering tips on how to get the most out of a roast chicken.

Both videos, along with the unabridged version of the conversation between Michael Sandel and Stephanie Paulsell, are available on the First Church YouTube page.

Read more about this event in The Harvard Crimson.