GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Construct's Warm Up the Winter Call to Action for Emergency Assistance scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. 

 

The 45-minute online event is emceed by Construct Executive Director Jane Ralph and board member Barney Stein. There will be music by The Wanda Houston Band along with vignettes from Construct clients and community members including appearances by actors and Construct supporters, Chris Noth and Lauren Ambrose.

 

This year's event will honor professional singer, actress, and song stylist Wanda Houston for her  contributions to the annual winter benefit since its inception by Rabbi Deborah Zecher and the community at Hevreh 15 years ago. 

 

Warm Up the Winter proceeds go directly to community members in need of emergency assistance for fuel, utility, and rental payments, including covering emergency accommodation costs and, this year, keeping those who are homeless safe.

 

Wanda Houston has lived and performed professionally throughout the U.S., Europe and Australia. She has performed on Broadway stages, in films, recordings, and television. Living on the East Coast in New York and New England has returned her to the roots of her career, music. She has worked in varying capacities with Michael Jackson, Barbara Streisand, John Tuturro, Eddie Izzard, Natalie Cole, Eartha Kitt, Patti LaBelle and Sam Harris on the stages of Pasadena Playhouse, Universal Studios, Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall. 

 

Warm Up the Winter continues to be among Construct's most critical and impactful fundraisers, and donations are encouraged. Donations can be made on this website, by calling Construct's Development Office at (413) 429-4433, or by texting 'WARMUP2021' to 855-202-2100 for a link to donate. Donations by check can be made out to "Construct" with "Warm Up the Winter" in the memo and mailed to: 316A State Road, Great Barrington, MA 01230.

 

The event is free but donations are requested.

 

This event is supported by Construct's  volunteer board of directors and is  underwritten by The Schnesel Family Fund. Community partners include; Jewish Women's Foundation of the Berkshires, Volunteers in Medicine–Berkshires, Southern Berkshires Rural Health Network, and the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires.