Portsmouth, NH – Cross Roads House is excited to announce that this year’s 20th Annual Benefit by the Sea, held May 7, 2022 at the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel, was it’s most successful fundraising event to date. The generosity of the Seacoast community was on full display with sponsorships and guest pledges totaling more than $724,000 – an extraordinary and record-setting amount for this event.
“It had been three years since our last in-person gala. In that time, Cross Roads House has survived a pandemic and change in leadership with a new executive director and a new development director,” shared Ben St. Jean, president of the board of directors. “The administration, the staff, the board and the whole team came together to create an event that did not disappoint. It was truly wonderful to all be together again.”
The success of the evening was due in no small part to the 60 corporate and private sponsors, including lead sponsor The 100 Club; benefactors Novocure, Michael and Julie Bean, Gary and Karen DeStefanao, and Lex Scourby; platinum sponsors BankProv, the LeMay Family Goodworks Foundation, and Chris and Audrey Sargent. Guests at the event were equally generous, offering pledges that essentially doubled the sponsorship dollars. You can see the full list of sponsors, event results, and event photos here.
“We continue to be inspired by those in the Seacoast community who provide this kind of support to help break the cycle of homelessness. The Benefit by the Sea gala has become a signature event in the community and is critical to funding our annual operating expenses. Every gift made that night and throughout the year counts toward funding the needs of our residents,” said Will Arvelo, executive director of Cross Roads House.
During this year’s event Ed Mallon, founder of Secure Planning, LLC, was honored for his 20 years of volunteer service to Cross Roads House. Over the course of his tenure with CRH, Ed has worked tirelessly with the board and in particular, the finance committee, to ensure CRH investments were sound and in compliance with our investment policy. Ed has been a staunch supporter of CRH as a sponsor of the Benefit by the Sea Gala and as well as a committed donor overall. The impact of his generosity has been, and will continue to be, felt by thousands of people in our community.
ABOUT CROSS ROADS HOUSE
Cross Roads House is a 100+ bed shelter located in Portsmouth, NH, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in support of homeless men, women, and children from Rockingham and Strafford Counties in NH and Southern York County, ME. Since 1982, our mission has been to provide secure, transitional shelter for those seeking to break the cycle of homelessness. Last year, we provided 27,578 bed nights of shelter to 368 people including 23 families with 50 children. Volunteers prepared and served more than 23,000 evening meals.
What Cross Roads provides, however, goes far beyond these basics of emergency shelter. Residents receive immediate and continued case management to support their efforts to obtain transitional and permanent housing, access to physical and mental healthcare services, life skills coaching and training, as well as a myriad of connections to other local, state and federal assistance programs.
CONTACT:
Alissa Gumprecht, Director of Development & Communications
Cross Roads House
603.436.2218, ext. 112
A.GUMPRECHT@CROSSROADSHOUSE.ORG
###