On October 7th we gathered in Atlanta with friends old and new for our first ever “New Story Night.” A black-tie fundraising event to raise funds for a community in Titanyen, Haiti.
I’ve already shared some about what we learned. This post is a highlight of the evening for those who couldn’t attend with us.
The event started before the night with the most beautiful invitations. Paper Daises in Atlanta generously partnered with us to bring our vision of an upscale Caribbean theme to life with our invitations.
Each invitation included a handwritten note from the person who was inviting them. The gold foil was beautiful in person and we couldn’t have been happier with how the ton of the event was set with these invites.
After the invitations, the real planning began. We hosted the event at Gallery 874. The decision between a traditional ballroom set-up and something untraditional was not an easy one. Ultimately, we chose this industrial art gallery because it was a blank space that we could bring to life however we wanted. This gave us the creativity and flexibility to create a truly unique event.
With the venue in place, we began to approach possible sponsors for the event. Three headline sponsors helped make the event possible and we’re so grateful for the support of:
Peach Cap: A cohesive team of tax advisors, investment advisors, and research analysts working together on your behalf.
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty: Local experts with global connections, this team is dedicated to keeping you informed as you navigate Metro Atlanta’s dynamic real estate market.
Jenny & Bob Pruitt: Atlanta leaders committed to giving back and using their influence to benefit others.
Guests entered the event through a tent replica we created. This was to immediately greet guests with the reality for so many globally. From a dirt floor to a hidden heater heating the tent to an uncomfortable temperature, it was a shock to the system for our guests.
When they exited the tent they were in the gallery side-room. Here, we had custom prints created that walked people through the story of a home. Images began at the earthquake and went through 10 images ending with a specific story of a family who has received a home.
Our cocktail hour was section into the first half of the venue. The room was sectioned off by a move-able wall where we highlighted the 50 families we wanted to fund homes for during the night.
Having the families in a central place was a good way for guests to begin seeing the needs and stories without it being too in your face. It gave them the flexibility to read and interact at their own level of comfort.
The incredible team at Alchemy Events helped us bring the event to life. They brought in vendors for lighting, rentals, florals, and catering supplements to ensure the night was executed seamlessly.
We had an incredible dinner prepared by the amazing Kevin Rathbun. We’re immensely grateful for his support for the night!
Wine was donated by OneHope and the number one question I’ve received from attendee’s post event is, “Can you remind me what wine we had?” It was loved by everyone.
Throughout the meal we heard from supporters and friends of New Story. From our co-founders, to local builders, and on the ground partners, our guests we able to hear about New Story from many perspectives.
Brett ended our night walking people through the story of New Story and inviting others to get involved. Our goal was to fund 50 homes during the night.
The amazingly generous crowd rallied together to fund SEVENTY FOUR HOMES. Our team was blown away by the generosity and I wish I had pictures of the shock & perma-grins that were on our faces for the rest of the night.
I am always proud of this team, but especially after pulling off this event together. Was it perfect? By no means. We learned a lot and are excited to take those learnings to new cities in 2018 for additional events.
Have more questions? You can always reach me at sarah@newstorycharity.org
