Springfield Rescue Mission is set to gather community leaders, businesses and longtime supporters at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Dec. 5 for its annual Home for Christmas gala, where four honorees will be recognized for service to the region. Tickets cost $150 and can be purchased online, with proceeds supporting the mission's Men's New Life Rehabilitation Program as well as its free public breakfast and lunch programs.
The evening will spotlight state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez; Dr. David Longworth, a Springfield Rescue Mission advisory committee member and mentor; Volo Aero and its president, Andrew Walmsley; and Custom Homes by Hamelin Framing and its owner, Greg Hamelin, according to BusinessWest. BusinessWest reports the gala is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Log Cabin; MassLive gives the venue's address as 500 Easthampton Road. A separate listing on the mission's own events page shows the start time as TBD, so attendees may want to confirm details closer to the date.
Who's Being Honored and Why
Volo Aero, based in East Longmeadow, is being recognized alongside Custom Homes by Hamelin Framing, Gonzalez and Longworth. Volo Aero has partnered with the mission's Learning Center and Workforce program. The gala, as the mission describes it, will bring together community leaders, businesses, supporters and friends of the organization for an evening built around recognition as much as fundraising, per the same BusinessWest account.
Proceeds from ticket sales support the Men's New Life Rehabilitation Program as well as the mission's free public breakfast and lunch programs. The mission says the program provides recovery services, education and workforce development for men working to rebuild their lives. Businesses and individuals interested in becoming event sponsors are asked to contact Julie Serafini, the report notes.
A Mission With Daily Reach
Beyond the gala, Springfield Rescue Mission provides services for people facing homelessness and hardship. The organization lists public breakfast service Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. at 10 Mill Street in Springfield, according to Springfield Rescue Mission.
The gala comes as homelessness trends in the region draw attention. A count referenced by MassLive found the number of unsheltered people in Springfield dropped from 90 in 2025 to 52 in a more recent count.
For now, the focus in Holyoke will be on Dec. 5, when the mission plans to thank the four honorees and lean on the community's support to keep its recovery program running. Tickets remain available through MassLive's reporting on the mission's own website.
