Hunger and Homelessness Auction raises $36,000 for community agencies

The student-run Hunger and Homelessness Auction raised $36,313 in November for seven community agencies in New Haven, an increase of $5,000 over the previous year.

This year’s auctioneer was Wade Brubacher, father of first-year student Jake Brubacher. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, J.D., made a guest appearance to auction his own donation—lunch in Hartford and a personal tour of the state capitol.

Recipients this year are the Community Health Care Van, HAVEN Free Clinic, Community Soup Kitchen, Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven, Immanuel Baptist Shelter, Leeway, Loaves and Fishes and the St. Thomas More Catholic Chapel and Center at Yale University, which runs a soup kitchen.

The fundraising began with a silent auction, from November 13 to 16, followed by a live auction in the Harkness Ballroom on November 16. Offerings included a dinner and wine tasting hosted by Dean Robert J. Alpern, M.D., Ensign Professor of Medicine, with samples from his private collection; lunch with University President Richard C. Levin at Mory’s; weekends in New York, New Hampshire and other choice locations; classic books; stargazing sessions; and lessons in art, athletics, cooking, dance and languages.

Student organizers offered their thanks to faculty. “We owe a lot of our success to their help and generosity,” said Joshua I.