For nearly 10 years, one local congregation has worked to support the Albany communities of Arbor Hill and Sheridan Hollow by helping to provide a refuge for the children of those neighborhoods when school is out.
The First United Methodist Church of Delmar has hosted the Voices of Hope Benefit Concert since 2003 as a member of the Interfaith Partnership of the Homeless. The concert raises funds for Interfaith’s summer youth programs, which provide activities, field trips and healthy lunches to hundreds of children each year.
“These children would basically be wandering the streets if they didn’t have a place to go,” said Nan Rabinow, the church’s office manager and an organizer of the event. “It really provides a safe haven for them.”
At the end of the summer program, each child is given a backpack full of school supplies for the coming school year. All of the items are donated through the work of the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless.
The concert is in its 17th year and features musicians from throughout the Capital District. It was held in another location before the Delmar congregation picked up the event.
Rabinow said the First United Methodist Church of Delmar has had an ongoing relationship with the Interfaith Partnership for more than 15 years, often providing meals at local shelters and raising funds for its various programs.
“For our church, one of the major components of our mission is community outreach,” said Rabinow. “Everything we do is with that vision in mind, and (hosting the concert) was a natural fit for us.”
She said the goal is to raise $3,000 at this year’s event to beat what was raised for the youth program at the 2011 concert.
Each day, the Interfaith Partnership’s Sheridan Hollow Drop-In Center serves 70 to 115 individuals and families, while their Emergency Shelter served more than 400 people in 2011. About 86 percent of the individuals served are between 18 and 29 years old, with the average length of stay being 22 days.
The Chancel Choir of Delmar Methodist, The Capital District Youth Chorale and the Mendelssohn Club of Albany will all perform this year, including opera duets by Kara Cornell and Vedrana Kalas and pieces by advanced pianists from the Music Studio of Albany.
Joe Farrell, director of music for the Chancel Choir, said the groups are proud to be able to contribute to the Albany community through their music.
“They are using something they do well and have a gift for to give back,” he said, adding the concert is especially important for the children who participate.
“They are doing something for people other than themselves,” he said.
Rabinow agreed.
“We want to encourage our youth to think about others,” she said. “We want them to feel connected with the children they’re helping and continue to pay it forward.”
According to Rabinow, the benefit concert has become especially popular in the few years since the Fox television show “Glee” been on the air. She said singing groups are becoming fashionable again and attendance has grown “exponentially” in recent years, with hundreds in attendance.
“And I think it’s in part because of the quality of our program,” she said.
The Capital District Youth Chorale is an award-winning group of 106 singers in its 29th year of existence. It consists of three ensembles of students from 4th grade to high school seniors.
In comparison, The Mendelssohn Club is a 103-year-old tradition in the Capital District with a chorus of 65 male-voice singers. The group is “dedicated to preserving and presenting male choral music.” The Music Studio is one of the oldest music schools in the area that begins by teaching the fundamentals to its students.
Each year, the Norm Elfeldt Award is also presented at the concert. Named after a parishioner who worked tirelessly to give back to the community, the award is presented annually to a hardworking Interfaith Partnership volunteer.
Ferne Horn will be presented with the 2012 award for her work delivering donated baked goods on a weekly basis to those in need, collecting food donations and finding items on the wish lists of IPH clients.
The concert will be held on Sunday, March 11, at 4 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Delmar. Admittance is free, but donations for the youth summer program will be accepted and are greatly appreciated.
According to Rabinow, for those who cannot attend, donations are always accepted for the wish lists of those Interfaith serves at the shelter and drop-in center. Popular items include cleaning supplies, toiletries, sewing kits and cookware.
For more information call 434-8021 or visit www.interfaithpartnership.com
