Some 200 guests gave generously again this year at the 6th annual Oysters and Champagne fundraiser to benefit Housing Assistance. The theme of the night was how the housing crisis is impacting children and essential workers, and included a special exhibit of children’s art illustrating the theme, “what home means to me.”

“People want to be here on Cape Cod for the natural beauty, for family, friends and community,” Dorothy Savarese, executive chair of Cape Cod 5, told the crowd assembled at the Wequassett Resort in Harwich. “But when your children are impacted by housing insecurity, it starts to fray those bonds.”

Pictured from left: Tony Shepley, founder of Shepley Wood Products, Dorothy Savarese, executive chair of Cape Cod 5, Alisa Magnotta, CEO, of Housing Assistance, Katie Clancy, president of The Cape House Properties, and Dan Wolf, founder & CEO of Cape Air. Shepley, Savarese and Wolf were the Fundraising Ambassador team for the event.

Dan Wolf, founder & CEO of Cape Air, asked the crowd to remember what it was like when they bought their first homes on Cape Cod and compare that experience to the struggle many moderate-income people face today. “What you enjoyed here 40 years ago in terms of building a life here doesn’t exist today,” he said. “Think back to the you of 40 years ago and give people that opportunity to build now what you were able to build when you were starting out.”

Tony Shepley, founder of Shepley Wood Products, said that solving the housing crisis “isn’t rocket science. We need to wake up our towns and say, ‘You need to find a balance in your zoning.’ We need to do this so our police officers and fire fighters can respond to emergencies, so doctors and nurses can live in the communities they serve.”

Bill Bogdanovich, chair of the Housing Assistance board told the crowd that they could be part of the solution. “Housing Assistance is a solid investment. The agency leverages donations to bring in state and federal money so it can say ‘yes’ to more people,” he said. “You have the capacity to make transformative change to the region’s housing crisis.”

Keynote speaker Katie Clancy shared with guests how Housing Assistance helped her when she and her husband were in danger of losing their home to foreclosure. “Housing Assistance gave me the gift of dignity,” she said. “Dignity is the soil where the seeds of self-reliance are sown. That was the gift I received and it’s the gift you can give as well.”

Thank you to our host committee for going above and beyond!

Ashley Baker & Dave Miller

Suzanne & Andrew Baker

Sherry & Bill Bogdanovich

Kristen & Chris Boyd

Lindsay Cole & Christopher Ward

Elizabeth & Mike Fish

Alison Grove & Eric Weinberg

Alex Rodolakis

The event raised $450,000 to benefit Housing Assistance programs and services.