Serving up a goodtime
16th annual Taste of Phoenixville supports Good Samaritan Services
PHOENIXVILLE » Great food, live music and community spirit was in full swing Jan. 18 at Good Samaritan Shelter’s 16th annual Taste of Phoenixville.
Held at Phoenixville Foundry, 500 people attended the hugely popular charity event with proceeds going toward Good Samaritan Services.
Attendees could sample entrees, desserts and drinks from nearly 30 area restaurants that donated their time to the event. Food tables were set up on both levels of the Foundry as guests mingled and enjoyed the wide variety of mouthwatering appetizers, unique main dishes and gourmet desserts. Live music was performed throughout the evening, as members of the community dined and danced for a good cause.
Additionally, there was a silent auction featuring 100 items up for bid. Guests could bid using mobile bidding from their cellphones. All auction items
were donated and included multiple gift and wine baskets, artwork, jewelry and sports memorabilia.
State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19, has long supported the Taste of Phoenixville from the early days. He noted his grati-
tude for a community that supports those in need through this annual event.
“Every year Phoenixville’s downtown revitalization continues to flourish, and every year the Taste of Phoenixville gets bigger and better. It’s grown into one of the region’s premier events and one the benefits one of our most important issues — supporting our neighbors in need through Good Samaritan Services.”
Dinniman continued, “It’s truly a testament to the character and the compassion of the people of Phoenixville and the Phoenixville business community that as the borough has achieved economic growth and success, those in need— the hungry and the homeless — have not been forgotten. Thank you to all the volunteers, patrons and donors who’ve made the Taste of Phoenixville an annual tradition in our area and a great way of giving back to those in need.”
In December, Good Samaritan Shelter merged with another nonprofit organization, Bridge of Hope Lancaster & Chester Counties, to create Good Samaritan Services. The broadened organization assists 200 men, women and children on a daily basis, from emergency shelter to rapid re-housing and permanent hous-
ing. Additionally, the organization provides rental assistance, financial stabilization, employment services, mentoring, parenting classes and family building services.
Nate Hoffer, chief executive officer, noted the recent merge allows the organization to help more people in both Chester and Lancaster counties. He said proceeds from the Taste support these efforts.
“This past year was excellent for Good Samaritan. We merged with an- other nonprofit and doubled our impact and size. We are saving on administrative and operational costs, which means your donations will now have an even greater impact. This merger has been a long time coming, with more than a year of discussions, planning and praying. Every donation we receive will now go further than ever before to help people in need,” Hoffer remarked.