Exclusive holiday lights event draws more than 200 people to the Orange County Arboretum.

MONTGOMERY, NY (December 23, 2021) – The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan (CFOS) has announced that its inaugural event Hope in Bloom raised $135,000 to support its critical work. This year, CFOS hosted an outdoor event with the health and safety of guests top of mind.

Hope in Bloom held on December 2, 2021 featured an exclusive walk-through of the holiday lights at the Orange County Arboretum. More than 200 donors gathered safely to enjoy the festivities which included seasonal cocktails, a photo booth, and a performance by the Newburgh Chorale. It additionally featured monitors that shared the stories of donors who have honored loved ones and fulfilled their charitable goals through funds at the Community Foundation.

“Before the pandemic, the Community Foundation hosted an indoor reception which drew 400-plus people,” said Nicole Feller Lee, CFOS Director of Development and Communications. “We pivoted to a safer option for our guests this year, and I’m pleased to announce that our corporate sponsors and donors were as generous as ever before!”  

“Orange County Parks and Recreation kindly welcomed us to use their lovely grounds, and Hope in Bloom was a resounding success,” said CFOS President and CEO Elizabeth Rowley. “Without our annual appeal, we couldn’t continue our critical work of managing 369 charitable funds that disburse grants to support areas of education, health, human services, veterans, the environment, and more. We can’t thank our sponsors and donors enough!”  

The Hope in Bloom annual appeal is the one and only fundraiser to support the Community Foundation’s operating budget. Donations are still being accepted at cfosny.org. Click the Hope in Bloom box on the main page to give.