The 27th (Virtual) Circle of Friends Gala is ONE WEEK AWAY!

The 27th (Virtual) Circle of Friends Gala is one week away! We hope you'll join us to celebrate the work of our Developmental Disabilities Program and one client's inspiring story, ensure a brighter future for youth and families throughout Greater Boston, and enter to win one of our fabulous raffle prizes!

Below are some answers to frequently-asked questions that you might find helpful as you’re registering for our Gala. Plus, we have a special announcement about a generous donation match by our Gala’s biggest sponsor!

• What will happen at the (Virtual) Circle of Friends Gala? 
  CFCS’s Gala will be a moving and inspirational 45 minute  livestreamed event that you’ll be able to watch on the official event page. Matt Newsom, our host for the evening, will guide you through our program as we showcase the work of our Developmental Disabilities Program. Special guests Governor Charlie Baker and Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui will share brief remarks. We will recognize Wayne Patenaude, President and CEO of Cambridge Savings Bank, for the support he has provided CFCS over the years. There will be a “Live Ask” portion of the program, when you will have the opportunity, if you like, to make a donation in support of our work. And last but not least, if you bought a raffle ticket, you’ll find out if you’re a  winner! 

• Why do I need to give my credit card information to register for the Gala? 
  The Gala is free and there’s no auction (even though our online platform keeps calling you a “bidder”), so why do we ask for your credit card information? The simple answer is that we hope what you see at the Gala will move you to make a donation. By entering your credit card when you register you make the donation process very easy on the night of the event. If you want to donate during the Gala, you’ll simply click on one of the donation buttons for the appropriate amount. You’re then asked to confirm, and your donation will be processed. It’s as simple as that, and you never have to leave the event. If you don’t want to make a donation, your credit card won’t be charged for anything.  

• What happens to my credit card data? When will it be deleted? 
  CFCS is using Greater Giving as our online event platform. Greater Giving complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Once you enter your card information on the secure registration page (you should see the secure padlock symbol to the left of the url), your card data is encrypted using industry-standard encryption technology. While stored in Greater Giving’s database, your data remains encrypted with security-standard certificates. The data is only stored for processing. CFCS will process all donations made during the Gala the following day (Wednesday, May 26). After processing, the credit card data is deleted by Greater Giving. 

Cambridge Savings Bank has generously offered to match all donations given during the Circle of Friends Gala, up to $25,000! Your support will go twice as far at this year’s Gala. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to double your impact in Greater Boston!