A Taste of New Hope, a fundraising event benefiting New Hope Counseling Center, will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3, at Providence Church, 269 Cinder Road, New Providence. The small plate-style event will include a live auction, a silent auction and food from a variety of local restaurants, and the proceeds will support the many programs New Hope Counseling Center offers the community.

Tickets for the event may be purchased for a set cost per attendee, and food is included in the cost of admission. Guests will be able to enjoy appetizers and small plates from local businesses such as Barnyard Catering & Concessions, Dolce Vita, Oola Bowls, Sarah's Custom Cakery and C.R. Lapp's Family Restaurant.

At 7 p.m., guests will have an opportunity to bid on a variety of items in a live auction, including fresh meat from Farm Fresh Beef, a handmade quilt donated by Union Presbyterian Church and apparel from Ross Lawn Service. The live auction will also feature four giant cookies, custom-made by Sarah's Custom Cakery, and an original C.X. Carlson painting. The live auction will be facilitated by auctioneer Eric Lefever.

The silent auction will include gift cards for local restaurants, a custom-made birdhouse from Rannels Custom Creations, tickets to Longwood Gardens and various other items for men, women and children.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the New Hope Chest Fund, which New Hope Counseling Center uses to offer financial assistance to participants in its therapy programs. "About 75% of our clients receive financial aid, which is why the New Hope Chest Fund is so vital," said Deb Riddell, New Hope's executive director.

In addition to helping individuals pay for counseling, funds raised by the event will support specific programs such as school-based counseling at Solanco High School. The organization has offered counseling services at the high school for the past year and a half, and it relies on grants and the New Hope Chest Fund to sustain them.

"New Hope is a faith-based counseling center, and part of our goal is to help our neighbors become healthier, one person at a time," Riddell said. "Our counselors do valuable work every day. It may not always be seen, but there's a lot of hurt and a lot of healing to be done in the community."

This is the fourth year New Hope has held a small plate-style fundraising dinner. At first, the organization hosted an annual banquet to benefit its programs, but it modified the event due to the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, the fundraiser was adapted to feature a drive-through donation drive, after which New Hope began hosting a small plate dinner and auction to attract community members of all ages. Last year, the event raised more than $30,000. This year, attendees are invited to bring clothes to donate to New Hope Community Closet, a thrift store that raises money for the counseling center.

For more information about New Hope or to purchase tickets to the fundraiser, visit http://www.newhopeministry.info or call 717-786-2802.