The annual GOAL New York Ball raised over $270,000 for some of the poorest people in the developing world on Friday November 9th.

More than 360 guests packed into the beautiful Gotham Hall in Manhattan for an evening of food, drink and entertainment and to learn about GOAL’s projects across the developing world.

Auctions on the night raised tens of thousands of dollars, with prizes including a safari trip to South Africa, luxury holidays in Ireland, and a chance to get a first-hand view of some of the charity’s humanitarian work in Haiti.

The evening kicked off with a red carpet, hors d’oeuvre and cocktail reception, followed by dinner, an all-night bar, live music, a special Irish dance performance and an after-party.

Guest speaker on the night was Ambassador Anne Anderson, Ireland’s permanent representative to the United Nations. Anderson spoke about GOAL’s growing reputation on the international stage, and praised their continued fight for a better future for those who need it most.

This year, the Ball’s special project was GOAL’s street children’s projects in Ethiopia, which will receive more than $160,000 of the night’s proceeds. This dynamic project helps to deliver a variety of services to children-at-risk in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, including education and medical treatment.

Speaking about the successful event, GOAL’s USA Director, James Kelly said: “It was a truly amazing night, and $350,000 exceeded everybody’s expectations. That amount of money is going to change so many people’s lives. I’m really proud of, and thankful to, everyone involved. It’s nearly double what we raised last year, and hopefully the event will continue to grow.”