Ken Stoudt of event sponsor StoudtAdvisors reflects on 15 years of creating the opportunity to change the lives of women and children experiencing homelessness.
Milagro House’s evening of miracles has enjoyed 15 years of unparalleled success and on Friday, October 17, its 16th event will again assemble Lancaster’s finest philanthropists for another important night of fundraising at the Lancaster Country Club. The purpose? To ensure creating another year of miracles for its beneficiaries: the homeless women and children within our Lancaster community.
“Evening of Miracles is also a celebration of the success of the women and children we serve,” says Gail Rittenhouse, executive director of Milagro House. “This is a night to highlight the many women and children who have transitioned from dependency to self-sufficiency with the help of Milagro House.”
unlike many charitable organizations’ events that tout luxury trips and fine wines as the main attractions for bidding, Milagro House puts the primary focus on the needs of those for whom the organization exists. The event’s guests bid on specific items that directly benefit the women and children at Milagro House: driving lessons, group counseling sessions and bus passes, for example, all of which help the women of Milagro House get back on the path to independent living through education and employment.
At the end of the night, most guests have nothing to take home – just the warm satisfaction that their bids went directly to the operational needs of the organization. It’s proven to be a winning – and lasting – formula for Milagro House’s sustainability.
Party hostess Kit Slaugh with event emcee Lori Burkholder and husband Jeff Goss. “It is interesting to think of 100 years from now and know that you were important in the life of a child,” notes Lori, for whom serving as event emcee has brought her close to the mission and cause. Lori reflects that “any one of us could be in need” and by helping Milagro House, “there is a ‘domino effect’… one person helping another person, which is why I find it so compelling. It’s the right thing to do.”
Perhaps another of Milagro House’s secrets to success is that they keep their board of directors and volunteers very close, often thanking them for their good work with a social event. One such party was held a few months after last year’s Evening of Miracles. Hosted by board member Kit Slaugh, the gathering brought the group together for a casual, intimate thank-you over cocktails.
it is noteworthy that Milagro House is committed to not depending on government funding. “We get our support from the community for education and for breaking the cycles of dependency,” Gail points out. “We get such support from the community because we can be pure to our mission and provide the highest quality of services to the Lancaster Community.” The continued success of Evening of Miracles – and Milagro House – simply makes sense to Gail: “The spirit of that celebration makes people want to participate in changing lives.”
For tickets or more information about Evening of Miracles, please visit www.MilagroHouse.org.
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