Lucy's Hearth
Now more than ever, ensuring that children and their families have a safe place to call home is saving lives in our community. It is incredibly important for families to be able to shut their door and be together, no matter what is going on in the world outside.
We are deeply grateful for your kindness, which made it possible for 46 families, comprised of 108 children and 62 adults, to stay together and stay safe this year.
Singing For Shelter, the annual Christmas concert featuring Newport-area musicians raising money for local homeless shelters, is going virtual this year.
“Because COVID is preventing us from all gathering in one place on one night, we decided to offer a series of home concerts, featuring our local musicians going live from their living rooms on Facebook,” Singing For Shelter co-founder Mark Gorman said.
Beginning on Dec. 5 and continuing almost until Christmas, there will be 20 ‘living room concerts’ involving a total of 50 local musicians, all raising money for Lucy’s Hearth and The McKinney Shelter.
“Can you imagine being homeless at Christmastime in the middle of a national pandemic” Gorman asked. “ We’re very grateful to all these musicians for once again stepping up to help their homeless neighbors during this unprecedented emergency. Singing For Shelter has raised over $85,000 for these shelters, due to the generosity of our musicians and the unwavering support of our wonderful island community.”
On Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 pm, Lucy’s Hearth will host their annual fundraiser, Fall For Lucy’s Hearth, online for the first time. The exciting one-hour virtual event, hosted by actress Rose Weaver, will honor Dr. Kelli Armstrong and the enduring and inspiring partnership between Salve Regina University and Lucy’s Hearth.
This year, unprecedented challenges have faced Lucy’s Hearth and Salve Regina University students. But thanks to the dedication of Salve Regina University president Dr. Kelli Armstrong, university alumni, and current students, who have heroically volunteered when they were needed most, Lucy’s Hearth has been able to continue providing essential care to homeless families during COVID-19.
“We face an unprecedented health and financial crisis as many Rhode Island families face eviction from their homes,” noted Lucy’s Hearth Executive Director and Salve Regina alumna Kelly A. Lee. “Lucy’s stands ready to help these families get back on their feet and end the cycle of homelessness as quickly as possible. Through the COVID-19 pandemic, our facility has remained open and operational, with our staff and leadership stepping up and taking extra safety measures to ensure the well-being and safety of our families.”
As the university president, Dr. Armstrong eagerly embraced community organization and made her first visit to Lucy’s Hearth shortly after arriving at Salve Regina. During her visits, she had a great impact on the residents immediately. One Mom, who recently moved to Lucy’s Hearth, shared her personal journey which led to her and her children’s homelessness. Dr. Armstrong listened and responded with warmth, encouragement, and supportive words. She spoke with children about their experiences at Lucy’s Hearth and focused on their needs. This is so important for the families who come to Lucy’s Hearth– the majority of which have been impacted by various forms of trauma.
Salve Regina alumnus and Children’s Activity Coordinator at Lucy’s Hearth Alley Harkness knows firsthand the impact the school’s volunteerism has had on residents. “Not only are we providing families with shelter right now, but we’re helping them get back on their feet so that they don’t need to end up back in a place like this,” she said.
Visit LiveFromLucys.org to register, sponsor, and donate.