Savannah Union Mission's "Raising Hope" gala delivered inspiration, significant fundraising
When it came time for Union Mission’s “Fund the Mission” program at its recent Raising Hope Gala, the goal was set to raise $125,000 in the span of a few minutes.
There were different levels for donations ranging from $100 to $10,000. When the donating was done, the total reached to about $277,000. That didn’t even include donations from the $100 level, which amounted to so many donors the total wasn’t able to be counted before the end of the gala.
In total the event raised $625,000 for the organization, which came through sponsorships and ticket sales in addition to fundraising.
The Raising Hope event is a major fundraiser for Union Mission, drawing about 25% of its yearly fundraising, President and CEO Mike Traynor recently told the Savannah Morning News. But the event also highlights the mission itself: helping individuals find permanent housing while offering shelter, food, childcare and mental health services to those experiencing homelessness.
Former Chatham County and Savannah administrator Pat Monahan was this year’s honoree, recognized for his service to Union Mission and community efforts to end homelessness.
A video tribute to Monahan featured friends and colleagues, and it ended with Judge Tom Bordeaux saying Monahan was someone who approached his service with no ego.
Monahan’s speech took that humble tone, calling on a famous quote from Isaac Newton.
“I stand here on the shoulders of giants,” Monahan said, naming a plethora of former leaders in Union Mission history such as founder Rev. George Akins, Elmo Weeks and J.C. Lewis.
The keynote talk was led by Jason Howe, executive director of a nonprofit that connects veterans struggling with PTSD with service dogs. Howe, a U.S. Navy veteran, authored a book about his experience through addiction and homelessness titled “Unleashed: The Powerfully Simple Path to Overcome Trauma, Addiction and the Silent Battle with Mental Illness.
Howe was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from combat. His service dog, Sobee, helped save his life, Howe said. Sobee attended the gala with him Tuesday.
"She's a hero," Howe said.
Howe's central message to those in attendance was to ask themselves what happened to someone experiencing homelessness to get them there, instead of simply looking down on them.
"I know you guys can help save one more life," Howe said.
Such was the goal of Union Mission's "Fund the Mission" campaign. Each donation level was associated with specific statistics of what each dollar amount could support within in the organization. Here are a few examples:
$75 can provide three counseling sessions for an individual.
$500 provides free laundry and clothes for people coming off the street for a month.
$1,000 shelters and feeds 10 women and their children at Magdalene House for one month.
In 2023, Union Mission assisted 1,250 individuals with 180,800 nights of housing and served 260,337. Those efforts led to more than 770 men, women and children transitioning from Savannah’s streets to stable housing, according to reporting in the Morning News.
Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Union Mission's "Raising Hope" gala delivered inspiration, fundraising
