Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled's Festivale Fundraising Event at WGBH Studios on Nov 6th

Online, October 30, 2010 (Newswire.com) - On Saturday evening, November 6th, Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled will host a fundraising event at WGBH Studios in Brighton, MA. This night of art, music, and culture will feature donations from several Boston area businesses, restaurants, beverage services, and artisans. Ticket sales and a portion of the artists' proceeds will go to support the Monkey Helper placement program.

Guests will enjoy food donated by some of Boston's finest restaurants, including Mistral, Sorellina, Teatro, L'Andana, Moo, Eastern Standard, Ruth's Chris, The Catered Affair, Cafeteria, Masa, Konditor Meister, Kashmir, Woodward and Zocalo, as well as cocktails from beverage sponsors Harpoon Brewery and Grey Goose.

Musical entertainment includes blues band Soulhouse 7, folk singer Sierra West, and jazz pianist Will Armstrong. Guests will also have the opportunity to view "And then a Monkey," the 2009 short film about several Helping Hands recipients.

In addition, during a VIP reception prior to the event, Helping Hands will announce the recipient of the first annual Charles Evans Trainer Award of Excellence, sponsored by The Charles Evans Foundation and presented to the staff trainer who has met and exceeded the training standards set forth by Helping Hands during the past year.

"We are thrilled to return to WGBH Studios for this year's Festivale event," said Megan Talbert, Executive Director of Helping Hands. "It is a great opportunity for Helping Hands supporters to come out for a fun evening featuring talented artists and musicians and some of the best food our city has to offer - at the same time, raising funds and awareness of our service monkeys that are provided free of charge to recipients."

Jamie Mammano, Chef and Owner of Mistral and The Columbus Hospitality Group added: "The Columbus Hospitality Group is proud to once again support the efforts of Helping Hands by donating food and providing chefs from our restaurants. This organization is unique to Boston and is doing great work for the community of people living with physical disabilities throughout the country."

Tickets are still available by visiting the Helping Hands Festivale website at http://www.monkeyhelpers.org/events/boston-festivale/ or by calling 617-787-4419.

About Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, Inc.
Established in 1979, Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, Inc. is a Boston-based 501(c)3 organization that breeds, raises, and trains capuchin monkeys as service animals for people living with paralysis due to spinal cord injury or disease. Relying primarily on private contributions, Helping Hands provides these specially trained animals and lifetime support free of charge to our recipients.

About The Columbus Hospitality Group:
Chef Jamie Mammano began redefining the Boston restaurant scene in 1997 with the opening of Mistral, a French/Mediterranean bistro in Boston's South End. After recently expanding, Jamie branded The Columbus Hospitality Group. The company now includes Teatro, a casual Italian influenced neighborhood bistro, Sorellina, serving regional Italian-Mediterranean cuisine, Mooo, XV Beacon hotel's modern steakhouse, and the latest addition, L'Andana, a new concept in Tuscan dining, located in Burlington, MA on Route 3A North.