After a year somewhat on hold due to the pandemic, the Duluth-based non-profit Rainbow Village recently celebrated their 30th Anniversary mission to provide help, hope, housing and healing to families experiencing homelessness.
This year’s event found Rainbow Village supporters shattering all prior fundraising records and nearly doubling the totals from the last two Galas with a total $500,030 raised in support of the families it serves.
Among the evening’s esteemed guests was the family of the late Reverend Joel P. Hudson, founding rector of Christ Episcopal Church, which served as the birthplace of Rainbow Village.
Also in attendance was Rainbow Village’s very first donor, Josh Costell, a member of Christ Church who provided $25,000 to refurbish the house that became a part of the church’s outreach ministry, then known as Rainbow House.
The event also honored Reverend Nancy Yancey, who served as CEO of Rainbow Village for 25 years.
Having passed away earlier this year at the age of 91, the memory of Reverend Hudson and his selflessness was honored with a Humanitarian Award in his name. Designed to recognize the extraordinary contributions of individuals, corporations and other nonprofits who have made a profound impact on the lives of others, this year’s inaugural Joel P. Hudson Humanitarian Award recipients were Clyde and Sandra Strickland.
“During my Gala speech this year, I paraphrased a quote from Corinthians in the Bible – ‘Some plant, some water, but God provides the increase,’” said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “We had people in attendance who had a hand in planting the first seeds, those who watered those seeds to help bring our organization into existence, and those who continue to plant and water to ensure the continued health and growth of Rainbow Village. And God has truly supplied the increase. I love that our inaugural Joel P. Hudson Humanitarian Award went to the Stricklands, who are single-handedly changing the landscape of what helping others looks like.”
Information about the organization and its mission: www.RainbowVillage.org.
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