What is better than seeing the latest and greatest in home design — and supporting a worthy charity at the same time? Well, for me, very few things.
Recently I had the opportunity to attend Philadelphia Magazine’s Design Home Preview Party with the Ceisler Media team. Each year the magazine partners with local real estate developers, designers and architects to build a brand new home with complete furnishing and decor. Once complete, the home is opened up to the public to tour.
Not only is the Design Home beautiful, but it also supports a great cause — the Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance (MANNA). MANNA provides medically appropriate meals and nutrition counseling at no cost to those in the Greater Philadelphia area who are battling life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS.
At Ceisler Media, we are proud that one of our directors, Kate Wilhelm, also serves on MANNA’s board of directors.
“I wanted an organization where I could give back to my community,” said Wilhelm. “MANNA was a perfect opportunity because what can be more important than providing those suffering from health conditions with nutritious meals? When we are sick, we need food to make us better. They deliver three meals a day, seven days a week with the support of more than 7,000 volunteers every year, so there is no cost for their services.”
“I wanted to become involved to help more people know about this fantastic organization. MANNA shows that not only is there power in food as medicine – but also in food creating connectivity with local communities.”
Design Home contributed 100 percent of its ticket proceeds to MANNA, helping the organization continue its mission.
This year the Design Home team consisted of: Developer Mark K. Weiss of Weiss & Associates, LLC, designer Polly Carlton of Winslow Interiors, designer Kathy Moore of Kam Interiors and architect Tom Weston AIA of McIntyre Capron & Associates.
The team created a traditional farmhouse design home, but modernized it with a music listening room, an indoor basketball court and massive his and hers closets. What impressed me most about this home was that it was built from the ground up and decorated within seven months.
While the Design Home was an impressive and beautiful, I was equally impressed with the beauty of the cause it supported
Abby Snopek is an Associate in Ceisler Media’s Philadelphia Office.
