Fox Chapel Evening of Hope fundraiser returns after three-year hiatus

An elegant evening fundraiser benefiting Pittsburgh-area students is returning to Fox Chapel.

The Boys Hope Girls Hope of Pittsburgh’s Fox Chapel Evening of Hope will be March 2 at the Pittsburgh Field Club.

The event, last held in 2019, had been on a pandemic-induced hiatus.

“We’re happy to be back. A dedicated committee of 15 to 20 volunteers we call captains help share the mission with their network and invite friends to attend the event,” Dana Hanna said.

Boys Hope Girls Hope is a global network of 16 affiliates serving young men and women in the U.S. and Latin America, with an ultimate goal of graduating well-educated young people who are prepared for college, career and life.

The Pittsburgh affiliate was founded in 1991 and was the first to open a home just for girls. The organization added Boys Hope to its name to reflect the expanded outreach. The Pittsburgh chapter began serving boys last year.

Every Evening of Hope has a theme that includes fun, community and friendship.

Co-chairs Duffy and Dana Hanna of Fox Chapel have volunteered to organize the event for too many years to count, they said.

“When you’re having fun, you’re not counting,” Duffy Hanna said.

Aspinwall business owner Erin Connolly is a longtime captain and volunteer.

Connolly, who owns the Cornerstone Restaurant & Bar in Aspinwall, said she is eager to welcome guests back to the Evening of Hope.

“The kids that make up BHGH are remarkable. When you hear their stories, you can’t help but want to help to support their mission for an opportunity for a fulfilling future. BHGH gives them the opportunity for a nurturing home life and stimulating education,” Connolly said.

Tiana Smith of Bellevue, an alumna of the program, will serve as the keynote speaker.

Smith, 36, entered the Girls Hope program when she was 15 and a ward of the state of Pennsylvania.

“My biological mother was a drug addict,” Smith said.

She lived in a Girls Hope residence. She graduated with a degree in human services from LaRoche University in 2009 and earned a master’s in criminal justice administration in 2013.

Smith now is employed by the Pennsylvania Commission of Crime and Deliquency in Harrisburg.

“Girls Hope was my saving grace because I wouldn’t be in the position I’m currently in without it — that was my family and new home,” she said. “They’re still my family because I’m still very connected to BHGH. I can never not promote the program that changed my life.”

Dana and Duffy Hanna are co-chairs of the Boys Hope Girls Hope of Pittsburgh’s Fox Chapel Evening of Hope.

The event, for those 21 and older, kicks off at 6:30 p.m. It includes a silent auction and cash bar.

Valet parking or self-parking will be available.

Small plates prepared by Pittsburgh Field Club executive chef Justin Melnick are included in the ticket price of $75 per person.

Food choices include mini-Beef Wellington, shrimp cocktail, crudites, sliders and other small bites.

The dress code is business attire/country club chic, with no denim permitted, organizers said.

Attendees can expect to witness an amazing bond between the Fox Chapel community and Boys Hope Girls Hope, Duffy Hanna said.

“For over 25 years, many members of the Fox Chapel community have given their time, talent and treasure to help grow the mission of BHGH. They can also expect to have fun. It’ll definitely not be a stuffy fundraiser. Guests will enjoy their fellow party-goers,” Duffy Hanna said.

Every year, a current or former scholar presents on their experiences with the program. Participating student scholars are in grades six through 12.

The scholars are young men and women in the Boys Hope Girls Hope program. They live in separate residential homes: one in Squirrel Hill for the boys and one in Coraopolis for the girls.

They’re selected for the program because they demonstrate outstanding potential for succeeding in a nurturing environment, Dana Hanna said.

“Scholars enter the program as young as the sixth grade and ideally stay with us through college. They have full support from their family, and we work closely to ensure each child is thriving,” Dana Hanna said.

Attendees will be invited to peruse the wish lists of the two residential homes and consider making a donation.

The list is a “giving board” connecting donors to a tangible need within a home.

Examples of wish items include paying a monthly heating bill, math tutor, an iPad, weekly meals, science camp or a birthday present.

To date, hundreds of young people in seven counties have received assistance from Boys Hope Girls Hope, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland.

About 84% of the scholars are from families living below the U.S. poverty line, and 96% are from underrepresented minority groups.

To purchase tickets for the Fox Chapel Evening of Hope, click here.