Carpenter's Shelter Fundraiser With Tasting Competition Planned At The Birchmere

ALEXANDRIA, VA — A fundraiser to benefit Carpenter's Shelter for its 35th anniversary will feature a cook-off competition with local restaurants and caterers.

The Big Birthday Bash and Carpenter’s Cook-Off All-Stars will be held on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 12 p.m .to 3 p.m. at The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA. Tickets are $50 for adults or $20 for children in advance or at the front door for $75 for adults and $25 for children.

A highlight of the event will be a cook-off with local restaurants and caterers. Attendees will get to taste the food and judge their favorites. The event will also include live music from the Jones Point Band, live and silent auctions, raffles and a Children’s Corner. Neil Gillespie will receive the fourth Val Hawkins award for being a champion of Carpenter’s Shelter.

The fundraiser for Carpenter's Shelter comes amid its 35th anniversary. The shelter serves hundreds of homeless and formerly homeless men, women, and children each year with a goal of transitioning homeless residents to permanent housing. The shelter began at the Blessed Sacrament Church before moving over the years to warehouses, a temporary location in the former Landmark Mall to its rebuilt location that opened in late 2020. The new building at 930 N Henry Street includes a homeless shelter, supportive housing units for homeless residents and Alexandria Housing Development Corporation's 97 affordable apartments units called The Bloom at Braddock.

Restaurants and caterers can sign up to participate by Sept. 29 by filling out a form and returning it to Michiko Yoon at MYoon@CarpentersShelter.org.

Sponsors can get involved by contacting Monise W. Quidley, director of development at 703-548-7500 or email MQuidley@CarpentersShelter.org.

Donations will be accepted for live and silent auctions at the fundraiser. Items such as gift baskets, gift certificates, gift cards, professional services, jewelry and fun experiences are needed. Contact Meghan Cole at MCole@CarpentersShelter.org regarding donations.

Tickets for the Carpenter's Shelter fundraiser are available online.