HYANNIS – Housing Assistance Corporation’s 16th Annual Telethon for Hope next month will be held at a new venue – the LoveLocal Fest: Holiday Edition.
The collaboration between HAC and Love Live Local encourages local residents to give and buy locally during this holiday season.
The Telethon for Hope will be held during the first day of this year’s LoveLocal Fest on Saturday, December 7 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Barnstable High School.
The telethon will also be produced by Cape Cod Community Media Center and will be streamed live online and broadcast on cable.
“We are both all about the sustainability of the region and that comes with social things, but also, obviously, housing, which is the foundation of it all,” said Amanda Converse, the Love Live Local CEO.
Converse was excited when Love Live Local was approached by HAC to host the telethon as part of the festival.
Converse has always had a deep connection with HAC as her mother worked for the nonprofit for more than two decades.
“I have always been supportive of HAC’s initiatives to promote affordable housing on the Cape and to really support people as they navigate the housing market here,” she said.
Converse thought the telethon would make a great focal point for the Saturday night kickoff of the festival, and bring awareness to the telethon and HAC’s mission to the people who visit the LoveLocal Fest.
Converse hopes the inclusion of the telethon, which is a big holiday season event on Cape Cod, will help the festival become iconic as well.
“The fact that HAC, which does such important work in our community, wanted to partner with us, just makes us feel like we are making an impact too,” she said.
The goal of Love Live Local is to inform Cape Codders about the importance of spending dollars locally.
“When they do spend locally, more of those dollars stay here and support organizations like Housing Assistance Corporation,” Converse said.
Converse said when people support the local economy they are supporting local workers and helping them be able to afford to live here.
“There was so much synergy and for us it felt so special that they wanted to partner with us,” Converse said.
The festival, which now in its sixth year, will feature more than 125 local makers, artisans, businesses and restaurants. It is sponsored by Cape Cod 5 Cents Savings Bank and Michelle Kaye Photography.
“We call it the ultimate holiday shopping event,” Converse said.
The holiday show takes place at the Barnstable High School Gym and Field House. Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 7 and 12 to 5 p.m. on December 8.
The event is free and open to the public, but there is a suggested minimum donation of $5 which will go to support both Housing Assistance Corporation and the Love Live Local Project Cape Made grant program.
The event will also include activities for children.
HAC is seeking telethon phone fundraisers to help raise funds for its programs the night of the event. Individuals and groups interested in fundraising can register at www.haconcapecod.com.
Businesses interested in sponsoring the telethon can contact HAC Event and Resource Development Coordinator Deanna Bussiere at [email protected] or by calling 508-771-5400, extension 270.
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