Portland, ME - Benchmark Real Estate is hosting their fourth annual charity event of its kind, Four A Cause, on Thursday, November 21, from 4 to 9 p.m at AURA in Portland. Admission is free, includes complimentary food, cash bar, live music from Dean Ford and the Keepsakes, and supports four local nonprofit organizations chosen by the public in an online video voting contest.
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| Four A Cause 2019 | Portland, Maine |
"We give 10% back every year to local nonprofits through donations, sponsorships and our own annual charity events like Four A Cause," said Benchmark owner Tom Landry. "We created this event to not only raise money, but to publicly recognize these organizations for their vital contributions to the community and to raise awareness of their missions. Anyone can write checks, but with Four A Cause, we try to do even more."
This year, Madeline's Mission, Spark Dance Program, La Leche League of Portland, Maine, and In This Together will be featured at the November 21 event. The chosen nonprofits get a table at the event where attendees can learn more and make donations. But the highlight of the event are the professional videos, paid for by Benchmark, to be premiered during the event.
About the Nonprofits
Madeline's Mission offers guidance to anyone experiencing the loss of a child, whether days or years later. Madeline's Mission helps parents or guardians, siblings and other immediate family members navigate daily life without their loved one, providing hope and comfort.
Spark Dance Program was founded by Michaela Knox, who recognized that traditional approaches to education, in both the classroom and studio, did not serve all students, including those with disabilities, equally. To help all individuals succeed, Knox got involved with Danceability International, which uses their methodology to teach those with or without disabilities how to dance. Knox uses this method in all the classes she teaches at Spark.
"Being in the top four charities for Four A Cause has been an amazing opportunity for our program. We are the first Danceability program in Maine, offering dance classes for people with and without disabilities. We are thrilled to have an opportunity to spread awareness about our program at Four A Cause," said Knox.
La Leche League of Portland, Maine, provides families with free breastfeeding and parenting information, meetings to foster relationships, and community support, as well as one-on-one guidance when challenges arise. La Leche League offers support to all who want to breastfeed/chestfeed or provide human milk to their child.
"The Four A Cause event offers smaller local nonprofits, like La Leche League of Portland, Maine, a unique and fun way to connect with the community. We are thrilled to be involved and grateful for the opportunity to build awareness of our important breastfeeding and parenting resource. It is an honor to be included among other small but mighty organizations who are also doing such important work in our area," said Jen Rosenthal, one of the group leaders for the organization.
In This Together offers employee and community funds to those in need of their services. Companies and employees make donations and affected employees can use this fund after experiencing a tragic event. Employee donations can be made automatically through payroll deductions or through cash or credit, while employers can offer direct contributions or donation matching.
"We are so grateful for this opportunity and want to thank all our supporters as we launch In This Together. This special night is so meaningful to us as we increase our visibility in the community and launch our mission: to provide hope, strength and financial support to people facing unexpected hardships. We know firsthand what a difference it makes to receive assistance during such a difficult time, and we are so excited to get started with this very important work," said Sarah Emerson, community outreach director for In This Together.
