The 5th Annual Rockin' the House Family Dance Party raised funds to help Neighborhood House Association fight hunger in Peoria and Tazwell Counties by supporting Meals on Wheels for shut-ins and elderly and after-school and Summer Meal programs for needy children in downtown Peoria.
More than 81% of the children in the 61605 zip code in Peoria receive meal assistance during the school year. These children struggle to get nutritious food outside of school. Neighborhood House provides meals to these children during the summer months, AND in 2015, began providing meals after-school for those who would otherwise struggle to have a nutritious dinner. Additionally, Neighborhood House provides nearly 200,000 meals to shut-ins and elderly through its Meals-on-Wheels and other senior meals programs. Not only do the recipients need the food, but the visits from those who deliver their meals are often the only companionship these people receive. The State Budget crisis has stretched these programs to their budgetary limits, and are leaving these programs for our most vulnerable citizens, at risk. All proceeds from Rockin' the House 2016 will be donated to Neighborhood House to support these meal programs.
Rockin' the House Family Dance Party is a family/kid friendly event, where people who love to dance (or watch other people dance) come together to help people on need in our community. Each year there is dancing, performances by local dance groups, desserts, soft drinks and prizes.
History
The Rockin' the House Family Dance Party and Competition was started by 9- year old Riley Moran in 2012. Riley is a ballroom dancer with a heart for helping others. He wanted to use his talent to raise money for his favorite charity, Neighborhood House. He started Rockin' the House to give dancers a chance to showcase their talent while helping their community. In its first 5 years Rockin' the House has raised over $17,000 for Neighborhood House.