I’d like to thank the Gazette for its great coverage about the recent “Paddle for Home!” event of the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless, which is raising funds for new supportive housing for homeless youth.
I’d also like to thank our co-sponsors: the Connecticut River Watershed Council, especially Alan Morgan; Northampton Community Rowing, most notably Athena Stylos, Todd Gocken and Dorrie Brooks; and Sylvester’s Restaurant.
Each of them provided crucial support in multiple ways. This project will provide housing for unaccompanied homeless youth, with full support services enabling them to build new lives for themselves and reintegrate into the larger community.
We need more donations to reach the “Paddle for Home!” goal. We have a matching grant which will double donations.
There is a link to the fundraiser page on our website: www.hamphomeless.org ; or checks made out to FHCHI may be mailed to: FHCHI, P.O. Box 60398, Florence, MA, 01060, with a note “Paddle for Home.”
We thank the generous Pioneer Valley community for its caring, ongoing support.
Rick Hart
Leeds
The author is president of the Friends of Hampshire County Homeless.