Choir of Homeless Men Performs at White House

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A choir composed of members of Atlanta’s homeless population performed at the most famous house in the world on Monday.

The Atlanta Homeward Choir entertained guests at the White House as part of the Holiday Open House celebrations currently taking place at the Executive Mansion.

The choir was started in November 2013 by Donal Noonan, the director of music ministry at the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in downtown Atlanta. Noonan told CNN that he felt the need to do something to help the homeless people he saw on a daily basis on his commute to and from work.

Homeless men who stay at the Central Night Shelter participate in the choir, which has given over a dozen performances since it was founded, according to its website.

A massive fundraising effort was undertaken on Nov. 1, the day the choir’s holiday season began, to make sure the trip to the White House was successful. In six weeks, donors raised the $25,000 needed to pay for clothing, transportation, shelter, and orchestral support for the concerts in Washington D.C.

“The real successes, however, are the poignant stories of how the singing and feeling of involvement inspired men who battle a sense of fear and hopelessness, and how the public’s perception of homelessness is beginning to shift,” the choir’s website says. “Many of the men are currently working or actively seeking employment, and they find solace, inspiration, and community in the choir.”

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Photo Credit: Atlanta Homeward Choir/Facebook