The questions at Housing Forward’s 10th Annual Trivia Night Thursday evening at 7 p.m. will, of course, be trivial but the cause of ending homelessness in West Suburban Cook County, which the event is designed to raise funds for, is anything but trifling.
Housing Forward, with annual expenditures exceeding $7 million in a “normal” year, depends on fundraising to remain alive and to carry out its mission, but now with the added expense of housing 120 homeless people in hotel rooms 24/7 during the pandemic, expenses have grown to be much larger than what was anticipated when the 2020 budget was put together.
“The main objective of Trivia Night is fundraising,” Housing Forward’s Special Events Manager Trisha Marchand acknowledged, but “we also do it because it’s a great way to get the community together to come out for a good cause and do something fun.”
Like many other events these days, the event will be virtual. Marchand outlined the basics. “Whaddyaknow Trivia Company who was our host last year is back as our host again this year. They have been doing virtual trivia since March when they could no longer go into bars and restaurants and have it down to a science. Teams will be sent a link so they can watch the trivia questions live. Teams can then get together virtually via their own Zoom accounts or socially distanced in a backyard to talk through the answers and then they’ll be able to submit their answers to the company. The scores will be tallied and the winners will be announced that night. The top three teams will receive a trophy that will be delivered to them following the event. Teams are up to six players and tickets can be purchased on our website: www.housingforward.org/events.”
Tickets are $45 per person and the first 125 people to sign up can pick up a free bag of Garrett’s Chicago popcorn at the Housing Forward office, 1851 S. 9th Ave. in Maywood.
In addition, there will be a 50/50 raffle with tickets selling for a dollar for one ticket or 5 for $20. As in other split-the-pot raffles, the winner whose ticket will be drawn after the event will receive half of the money in the pot. Tickets for the raffle can be purchased at www.housingforward.org/events.
“We have been so humbled and amazed,” said Marchand speaking for the organization, “at how our supporters have stepped up to help. When we moved our clients from shelter into the hotels we had so many volunteers reaching out, asking how they could help. The financial undertaking of moving all of those clients into hotels was definitely an unanticipated cost but our partners and supporters have continued to amaze us by offering not only monetary donations but also donating meals, supplies, and their time.”
For more information about tomorrow’s trivia night, which is being called “Compete to Defeat,” send an email to tmarchand@housingforward.org. For more information about their mission, visit www.housingforward.org.
