Dorchester's Hometown Comfort for The One Fund-Boston

DORCHESTER, MA--(Marketwired - May 9, 2013) - Honorary Hosts: Victoria Reggie Kennedy, Theresa Heinz Kerry, Mike and Kitty Dukakis, Governor Deval Patrick, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, University of Massachusetts Chancellor J. Keith Motely, Boston Globe Publisher Christopher M. Mayer, New England Council President Jim Brett, Dennis Lehane.

The tragic events of April 15 affected us all, but Dorchester was especially hard hit. Members of that community are pulling together with Hometown Comfort, an event to support our city and help it heal with the embrace of a hometown. At the heart of that embrace will be a comfort food dine-around with as many as 25 area chefs preparing and sharing their version of comfort food.

The event is Sunday, May 19 at the IBEW Local 103 Hall, 256 Freeport St., Dorchester.

The comfort food tasting, spearheaded by celebrity chef Chris Douglass of Ashmont Grill and Tavolo, is from 6-9 PM. Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR's "On Point" from WBUR Boston, will be master of ceremonies for the evening, which will include live entertainment and a live auction. During the day, the American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive from noon to 6PM, while in the events tent outside the hall, Hometown Comfort will feature games, food, raffles, and other family activities. All money raised will go directly to The One Fund-Boston, which was established by Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino to support the victims of the Marathon bombings.

"Dorchester is a community of action and determination, and despite our grief and shock we are compelled to act -- we all want to do whatever we can," said Mark Juaire, spokesperson for the event. "Hometown Comfort is about helping, and about coming together so we can heal -- individually and as a community."

A donation of $25 per family (free to blood donors) is suggested for the daytime event. Tickets for the evening events are $75 per person, $50 for blood donors. Corporate sponsorships for Hometown Comfort are available at several levels from $10,000 to $100,000.

"No matter where any of us live, we all consider the victims and first responder as neighbors. Our hope is that by coming together to honor them, by celebrating life and the people of this great city, it will help us all on the road to recovery," Juaire said.