Healthy relationships: ‘Gimme Shelter’ concert returns to benefit agencies fighting housing insecurity
Housing insecurity remains an issue filled with barriers for many in our region. Centre Safe and other agencies provide critical support with shelter, housing and other services. But you also get to join the efforts to assist those needing a boost ... and to do so that empowers and builds dignity.
“Gimme Shelter: the Concert for Housing Security in the Centre Region” will be presented at the South Hills School of Business and Technology in State College on Thursday, Feb. 6, starting at 6 p.m.
In this follow-up to the first Gimme Shelter concert in 2024, performers will again include Biscuit Jam, Eric Ian Farmer, and Jason O, the front man for My Hero Zero. The Nittany Knights Barbershop Chorus (complete with a new music director) will open the show. Radio personality Jeff Brown will be the emcee. Pizza, ice cream, and soft drinks will be available for a free-will donation.
The event aims to raise not only money, but also awareness of the scale of housing insecurity in the region.
“Not only are there many homeless people in our community, but there are also many more who are just one layoff, or one personal crisis, away from it,” said Selden Smith, an organizer of the event. “Luckily there are also a lot of dedicated people working for change.”
Proceeds from the concert will be divided equally among five organizations: Out of the Cold, a low-barrier emergency shelter; Centre Safe, which has spent the past 50 years providing services for victims/survivors of interpersonal violence, including emergency shelter and housing; Housing Transitions, which has operated a family shelter for the last 40 years as well as programs to assist individuals and families to find and maintain stable housing; the State College Community Land Trust, which creates affordable homeownership opportunities; and the Centre County Youth Service Bureau, ensuring that local youth and families have every opportunity to reach their full potential.
Tickets are available at Ticketstripe (Gimme Shelter 2025) . There is no set price for tickets; buyers will be asked to donate what they can. South Hills, located at 480 Waupelani Drive in State College, is offering its venue free of charge. All musicians and technical support staff are donating their time and talents.
Learn more about the recipient organizations below:
Centre Safe: www.centresafe.org
Out of the Cold: www.outofthecoldcc.org
Housing Transitions: housingtransitions.org
State College Community Land Trust: www.scclandtrust.org
Centre County Youth Services Bureau: ccysb.com
Jennifer Pencek is the executive director of Centre Safe. Centre Safe provides confidential, professional, and free services for victims and survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Services include emergency shelter and housing, counseling, advocacy, outreach, education, legal support, and safe custody exchanges and supervised visits at its Child Access Center. Those wishing to speak with a trained advocate may do so 24/7 by calling Centre Safe’s toll-free hotline at 877-234-5050. You are not alone.
