Sing Out for Shelter Concert 2015

Annual Sing Out for Shelter Concert at the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church.

Julie Gallagher

Beautiful voices and a captivated audience filled the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church at the annual Sing Out for Shelter Concert on March 28.

The Augmented 8, an all-male a capella group in Washington, D.C., first organized this annual concert 23 years ago and has been hosting it ever since. More than $200,000 has been raised since the first concert to support local organizations that help combat homelessness, according to the Augmented 8’s website.

“We try to help them any way we can,” said Ed Dickens, a long-time member of the Augmented 8. Dickens said that the group practices once per week in order to prepare for an event like this and that they try to pick different songs every year.

The beneficiaries of the concert were Christ House, a 24-hour medical residential facility for the homeless; Metropolitan House, a small men’s shelter housed in the Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church; and Friendship Place, an organization that helps people find housing, medical care, jobs, case management, and other services . Each organization received one third of the proceeds and spoke to the audience about what they do to serve the homeless community.

“This is a labor of love for us. We can really do no less,” Ann Michael from Metropolitan House thanked the audience for all of their help.

This year, Capital Hearings, Grace Notes, and Euphonism also performed at the concert, singing a variety of songs that ranged from love ballads to pop songs that the entire audience sang and clapped along to.

During the intermission, the audience was able to speak with members of the a capella groups and the concert beneficiaries.

“My favorite part of the concert is always seeing how many people are there and supportive of the mission of Christ House, Friendship Place and Metropolitan House,” Sarah Katz, director of development at Christ House, told Street Sense. “It’s truly inspiring to see the support of the wider community.”


Issues |Shelters


Region |Washington DC

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