Enloe High School Charity Ball aims to raise $150K for Raleigh-Wake Partnership

WAKE COUNTY (WTVD) -- Wake County high school students are hoping to hand over a check worth $150,000 to a local nonprofit Saturday night.

It's Enloe Magnet High School's 13th Annual Charity Ball, and this year, students chose to support The Raleigh-Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness.

"Because of what they're doing, their gift will construct a picnic pavilion at the soon-to-be multi-services center that will always be their footprint in the community," said Shana Overdorf, the Partnership's Executive Director.

Since 2014, the partnership has served 300-400 people every weekend out of its Oak City Outreach Center on South Person Street.

Overdorf is preparing to move and expand operations with a new, multi-services center on South Wilmington Street by 2019.

The new Oak City Center will be open seven days a week, providing food and shelter, medical services, and behavioral outreach and resources.

"The money that we're raising is going to something that is so concrete," said Enloe student body president Jake Gordon of the picnic pavilion their fundraiser will pay for. "When I'm a sophomore in college and I come back for Christmas, I can go visit the center and be like this is something that Enloe did."

Not only have students spent the semester raising money, they've been serving alongside Overdorf at the current Oak City Outreach Center.

Standing on the brightly painted walkway leading to the center's front door, Overdorf boasts in the students' heart for service.

"Their footprint's here, creating a safe, welcoming environment for anybody who comes to see us at Oak City Outreach Center and they'll do the same in the new space with the pavilion," she said.

Tickets to the Charity Ball, which will be held Dec. 9 at Marbles Kids Museum, are sold out, but you can still donate online.