Hopefest 4 Hunger draws 600, directs proceeds to A Simple Gesture

More than 600 people attended Hope Fest 4 Hunger at Greensboro’s Historic Carolina Theatre on Sunday, February 16th for a free multicultural dance benefit that the event website says “raised over $37,000” in 2025. The site framed the total as part of a longer campaign, declaring, “2025 HOPE FEST 4 HUNGER RAISES OVER $37,000 THIS YEAR, MAKING A COMBINED TOTAL OF $227,000+ FOR OUR 7 ANNUAL EVENTS!”

The event copy specifies the 2025 distribution as “All proceeds go directly to Guilford County’s local hunger programs, with $16,600 going to A Simple Gesture and $16,600 to Greensboro Urban Ministry.” That allocation to A Simple Gesture (ASG - the Green bag program) and Greensboro Urban Ministry (GUM) appears alongside the larger fundraising headline; the website does not provide a line‑by‑line breakdown explaining how the two $16,600 allotments relate to the “over $37,000” total.

Programming at the Carolina Theatre centered on dance. The site notes, “News 2’s, Lauren Coleman emceed the show, which featured many beautiful cultures, including: African, Appalachian, Hindu, Karennij, Korean, Mexican and Spanish.” Attendees “enjoyed dynamic dance performances, winning great raffle prizes & Silent Auction items,” according to the event page, which also listed a raffle and a silent auction among the evening’s fundraising activities.

Hope Fest 4 Hunger traces back to a 2019 launch by local community partners and volunteers. The website states, “Hope Fest 4 Hunger is an event that started in 2019 by a team of community partners & volunteers to end hunger in Guilford County, with the goal of keeping 100% of the proceeds local.” Organizers partner explicitly with ASG and GUM, and the site says both agencies “support many local food programs including, Second Harvest Food Bank, Back pack Beginnings and multiple food pantries.”

Organizational support and sponsorships were highlighted on the event pages. The site lists “a few of the 2026 Sponsors for Hope Fest 4 Hunger” by name, including Capstone Website Design, Seeds for a Future, Thrivent and Gate City Rotary. Organizers also promoted follow‑up fundraising, urging community participation in restaurant fundraisers with copy reading, “Help Fight Hunger in 2026! Have a meal at Chipotle on February 18th. A percentage of the profits will be donated to Hope Fest 4 Hunger when you dine at this establishment.”

Hope Fest 4 Hunger’s public materials repeatedly appeal for local backing and continued involvement, with text inviting supporters to “CONSIDER BECOMING A HOPE FEST 4 HUNGER SPONSOR!” The event’s 2025 results, the named beneficiary A Simple Gesture, and the cumulative $227,000+ figure underline the festival’s role in directing community funds and volunteer energy toward Guilford County hunger programs.