Jazz Soul Celebration

A joyous sound will fill the air on Saturday, July 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. when Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center presents a Jazz Soul Celebration to benefit the center. The evening will be hosted by CNN anchor Don Lemon and includes food, drinks and dancing to the music of the Earth Wind & Fire Tribute Band from Washington, D.C. and jazz by local saxophonist John Ludlow Duo.

The Center has a lot to celebrate this year. Not only did it survive the pandemic, but it also thrived and has a new building that will allow staff to welcome more community children to the after-school programs and better house activities for older children like chess and Scrabble clubs. The new building will also have a dedicated room for a computer lab , art and dance studios with state-of-the-art equipment, a dedicated space for S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) classes and popular college prep SAT course which, in seven years, has sent 30 local children to four-year colleges, many the first in their families. The new Center will also have space for its work force strategy, Teach Me How to Fish, for those between age 18 and 45.

During the pandemic the Center was able to provide emergency financial assistance to families who lost jobs, and tackled food insecurity and supplied fresh produce and supplies to hundreds of families each week from its food pantry. The Center also now has an in-house social worker to help community families and a substance misuse and community outreach advocate.

Jazz Soul Celebration to benefit Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center is Saturday, July 30, from 5 to 8 p.m. under a tent at 750 Halsey Lane in Bridgehampton. Featured performers are the Earth, Wind & Fire Tribute Band and Jazz by John Ludlow Duo, Tickets start at $500 and are available at bhccrc.org/2022jazzsoulcelebration.