It was a truly rewarding and amazing opportunity to hold a benefit concert, especially one to raise funds and support for HomeFront.  For some of our members, this was their first benefit concert performance; for others, this was their second or even third benefit concert performance. However, we all took so many things away from that evening.

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Joanna Kim:

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To start off, I truly want to thank everyone who has made this benefit concert possible. Whether you performed in our concert, made a donation, sponsored us, or simply came to watch, the concert would not have been possible without you, and we greatly appreciate your support. Every time we do this, I am so grateful and astounded by how generous and loving our community is.

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If I’m being honest, I was incredibly nervous about this benefit concert. It was my first time organizing one without Daniel, the previous president of the group, and I knew there was a lot I would have to learn and take care of as I put this event together. Thankfully, our friends at Kingston Presbyterian Church were more than happy to help out and allow us to use their facilities for the concert and things started to fall into place. I was introduced to HomeFront NJ, an incredible organization based in Mercer County that works to end the cycle of homelessness and poverty in our area. As I got in contact with the people at HomeFront, primarily Sydney Gecha (who even came to speak at our concert), I became more dedicated and invested in the success of the concert as they shared their mission and stories of clients with me. In addition, the members of our group truly put forth their best effort, working to put together the best program possible for the concert.

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Finally, on the day of the concert, I remember being so anxious about how everything would go as I watched performer after performer run through their pieces. Fortunately, everything went well, and my mind was more at ease as we began. Although I was still nervous as I introduced the concert, I felt a sort of peace as I looked out into the audience, not only because I was happy about how many people had come, but because I knew that we had done the best we could. As we watched the video from HomeFront that included the explanation of the organization and the testimonials, I was genuinely grateful for the opportunity to support the clients of HomeFront and serve the community at large.

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Our total donation of $2,200.15 was more than I had even anticipated, and would not have been possible without all of the support for our organization and our concert. To put this into perspective, each lunch at the 8-week long HomeFront summer camp is about $2.50, so the money we donated will pay for approximately 22 children’s lunches for the duration of the entire camp. From the bottom of my heart, I truly thank all of your love and encouragement for the concert and for HomeFront, and all of your support will truly make a difference in the lives of people in our communities.

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