Laughter & Community… Hunterdon County Helps Launch a New Tradition
On the perfect summer Friday evening, something special happened in Clinton. Nearly 100 neighbors, friends, local businesses, volunteers, and supporters gathered at the Clinton Firehouse for the inaugural Summer Dinner & Comedy Night, a brand-new fundraiser hosted by Family Promise of Hunterdon County.
What began as a new idea became something much more… a room filled with laughter, generosity, community spirit, and a shared commitment to helping local families find safe, stable housing.
By the end of the evening, guests had enjoyed a delicious meal, laughed through a hilarious performance by nationally recognized comedian John McClellan, bid on dozens of silent auction items, cheered on raffle winners, and, most importantly, helped raise approximately $5,000 in net proceeds to support our mission of preventing and ending homelessness in Hunterdon County. For a first-year event, we couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome.
Take a peek at some photos on our Facebook page: Facebook Photo Album Dinner & Comedy Night
A Community That Showed Up
Community fundraisers are never about one organization. They’re about the people who believe in the mission. They’re about volunteers who spend hours assembling baskets, businesses that donate gift cards and experiences, sponsors who invest in their community, restaurants that provide delicious food, and guests who choose to spend an evening giving back.
Every conversation, every raffle ticket purchased, every silent auction bid, and every shared laugh helped create an atmosphere that reminded us exactly why Hunterdon County is such a special place.
If you’re interested in getting connected to community events like that, find ways to GET INVOLVED here on our website.
An Evening Filled with Laughter
A highlight of the evening was award-winning comedian John McClellan, whose energetic storytelling and relatable humor, all in a family-friendly format, had the room laughing from beginning to end. Known for appearances on CBS, Netflix, Bravo TV, and SiriusXM Radio, John delivered exactly what everyone hoped for: an evening where people could relax, reconnect, and simply enjoy being together. Sometimes laughter really is the best way to bring a community together.
Friendly Competition…for a Great Cause – Guests always enjoy browsing an exciting collection of silent auction packages, raffle prizes, and door prizes! All of these were generously donated by local businesses and community members. Among the evening’s favorites were:
- A luxurious Summer Scentsational basket
- A Discover Frenchtown experience
- A Hunterdon Art Museum membership paired with Clinton experiences
- A beautiful picnic basket from DeTorres & DeGeorge Family Law
- A retirement-themed basket from Aurora Private Wealth, Eric Lathrop
- A wellness package from Cold Sweat Cryo
- A nature-inspired healthful basket from Basil Bandwagon
- A baseball-themed package featuring game tickets from Rick Hyman
- The delightfully quirky and wildly popular Original Porch Goose
- A spectacular Vermont weekend getaway from Warren Searles, past Board President
- Numerous gift cards, local experiences, and specialty items
The silent auction alone generated more than $2,000, helping make the evening a wonderful success.
Our Deepest Gratitude – Events like this simply do not happen without an incredible network of community partners. Family Promise of Hunterdon County extends our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make Summer Dinner & Comedy Night possible.
Event Sponsors
- ShopRite of Flemington – Coastal Chic Sponsor
- Applied Mechanical Solutions LLC – Sunshine Supporter
- Still Vertical Studios
Food Partners
Silent Auction & Prize Donors
- Hunterdon Art Museum
- DeTorres & DeGeorge Family Law
- Aurora Private Wealth
- Trink Consulting
- Cold Sweat Cryo
- The Original Porch Goose
- Warren Searles (Vermont Weekend)
- Rick Hyman (Baseball Tickets)
- ShopRite of Flemington
- Basil Bandwagon
- and the many generous Frenchtown businesses, individual donors, and community supporters who contributed gift cards, experiences, products, and services.
We are also deeply grateful to the Clinton Firehouse for welcoming us and helping create such a warm, inviting venue for our inaugural event.
And finally, thank you to every volunteer who assembled baskets, sold tickets, greeted guests, set up tables, helped throughout the evening, and cleaned up afterward. Events like these are powered by countless acts of generosity… many of which happen quietly behind the scenes.
Looking Ahead
Launching a brand-new fundraiser is always a leap of faith. This year’s Dinner & Comedy Night proved that Hunterdon County embraces opportunities to laugh together while supporting neighbors facing difficult circumstances.
Every ticket purchased, every sponsorship, every donated basket, every meal served, and every volunteer hour contributed will help Family Promise continue providing homelessness prevention assistance, outreach services, and housing stabilization support for local families. We’re already looking forward to building on this inaugural event and making it an even bigger community tradition in the years ahead.
Until then… Thank you, Hunterdon County. Your generosity continues to remind us that when a community comes together, hope grows.
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Together, we can help families overcome crisis and move forward with dignity, hope, and the support they deserve.
by Dawn Hartfelder – updated 7/28/2026
