Hudson River Housing Wind Chill Fund Dinner Aids The Homeless

We don't often have the opportunity to dive as southerly into our region as Poughkeepsie, New York, but we were happy to attend, on Friday, Nov. 10, the Wind Chill Dinner for Hudson River Housing at the Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel. The freezing deluge of rain outside that evening and the warm glow inside the elegant hotel highlighted the importance of the organization's work: finding and providing shelter to Dutchess County's homeless. The funds raised at the event are going directly to the Webster House Emergency Shelter. The evening of great food, music, company and a silent auction were capped with a keynote speech by Becca Stevens, an author, speaker, social justice entrepreneur and priest. She is the founder and president of Thistle Farms, a movement dedicated to supporting women survivors of trafficking, prostitution and addiction. While it was a lovely evening inside, the plight of those left outside, as winter approaches fast, was on everyone's mind. "We are here to celebrate unity and fight homelessness," said attendee Linda Malave. "We can't forget why we are here."