Hillside Food Outreach will host its 15th annual Dancing with Our Stars, April 13, an evening of dancing and competition, in The Summit at Danbury. The event is Hillside’s largest annual fundraiser with proceeds benefiting the Westchester nonprofit and its mission to deliver high-quality, nutritious food to thousands of low-income and limited mobility families, seniors and the chronically ill each month.
Since its inception, Dancing with Our Stars has raised $300,000. The event features eight members of the community who take weekly dance lessons, donated by Arthur Murray of Danbury, for three months. Partnering with their Arthur Murray instructor, participants will showcase their skills in a live competition for attendees and a panel of judges.
Hillside’s 2024 Dancing with Our Stars participants include Billy Clifford, student, Duchess Community College;
Tom Clifford, supervisor, Mount Pleasant Water Department;
Stacey Cohen, CEO, Co-Communications;
Michael Grace, senior partner, Grace & Grace;
Shelly Hardie, managing partner, Shelty Golf LLC;
Izel Steinmann Obermeyer, chief clinical officer, Westchester Institute for Human Development; Celeste Pasciolla, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty Partners; and Joe Pasciolla, Realtor, Keller Williams Realty Partners.
In addition to their live performance, all Dancing with Our Stars participants are competing for online votes. Friends, family, colleagues and neighbors are encouraged to vote for their favorite dancer on the Hillside website ahead of time by making a $10 donation per vote. On April 13, four champions will be named – a man and woman in each category. Two will receive the people’s choice award (most votes), and two will be selected by the judges based on their dancing that night.
“The unfortunate reality is that today, an increasing number of families, senior f and vulnerable individuals in our community face the agonizing choice between healthy meals and meeting basic needs,” said Kathy Purdy, CEO and Founder of Hillside Food Outreach. “By supporting Dancing with Our Stars, whether by casting votes online or attending in person, you are helping to changes lives and offer hope to so many neighbors in need.”
Hillside is a delivery-only food pantry providing high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, staples and essentials to nearly 1,000 households and over 2,000 individuals across Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield counties, including elderly residents who find it difficult to travel and carry grocery bags; those who are housebound due to sickness or disability; and people with health conditions such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension who require nutritious diets. The nonprofit fills the nutrition need while establishing both connection and engagement with those feeling hopeless, alone or forgotten.
Dancing with Our Stars begins at 6 p.m. with dinner, followed by the competition and an after-party. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available. For additional information or to vote for your favorite dancer, visit hillsidefoodoutreach.org/dancing-with-our-stars.
Hillside Food Outreach is headquartered in Mount Kisco, New York and may be reached at 914-747-0095 or by visiting hillsidefoodoutreach.org.
