A Night of Compassion

March 5, 2026

Nantucket Knights spend a night on the street to raise awareness of the island’s housing insecurity and homelessness crisis

By Cecilia Engbert

March 5, 2026

Knights gather on benches along Main Street in Nantucket, Mass. — Members of T.J. McGee Council 2612 gather on benches along Main Street in Nantucket, Mass., during the council’s Knights Go Homeless fundraiser Feb. 18. (Photo by Sanchez Saunders)

It was around 5 a.m. the day after Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, when Mike Gillies, grand knight of T.J. McGee Council 2612 in Nantucket, Massachusetts, glanced at the temperature: 31 degrees. Despite the harsh elements, he and four other Knights had just spent the entire night under the cold, open sky on benches, bundled in a few blankets.

This was the second year the Nantucket council held its “Knights Go Homeless” fundraiser, an initiative to raise money and awareness for the housing insecurity and homelessness crisis on the island.

“Cold, wet and ugly,” Gillies said, describing the night with a laugh. “But we made it through. And there are a lot of people who deal with that every night, 365 days a year. We just do it for one night, and we hope that it raises awareness and discussion about how we can make a change.”

It was Gillies who proposed the idea for the homeless night to the council last year.

“I was thinking about how we can show that [homelessness] is a real problem that needs real attention on the island,” he said. “I thought, what better way than to go homeless for a night.”

Ash Wednesday seemed like the obvious time to do it.

“The beginning of Lent — the beginning of giving alms and showing that you can make a sacrifice and make an impact to help people — it was the perfect night to do it,” Gillies said.

Leading up to their night out, the Knights collected pledges and donations as they invited parishioners, community members and friends to contribute. While the council will continue to accept donations for several more weeks, the Knights have already brought in around $26,000.

A Knights receives ashes in Nantucket, Mass., before spending the night outside during the council's homelessness awareness fundraiser. — Deputy Grand Knight Beau Almodobar of T.J. McGee Council 2612 in Nantucket, Mass., gives ashes to fellow council member Mark Gonnella during Mass at St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Church on Feb. 18. (Photo by Sanchez Saunders)

After attending evening Mass at St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Church on Wednesday and receiving ashes, the Knights settled down on benches along Main Street — where they remained until attending 7 a.m. Mass the following day, after which they headed off to their respective jobs. Sometimes they chatted or slept; other times they walked around the block to keep warm.

“It’s all about sacrifice,” said Mark Gonnella, a member of Council 2612 who participated in the homeless night both years. “Jesus died for us and went out for 40 days and 40 nights [in the desert]. For us to give up something like our warm beds for one night … it’s the least we can do.”

With its charming lighthouses, miles of beaches and waterfront resorts, Nantucket is a picture-perfect destination that draws tens of thousands of summer tourists each year. Many year-round residents, however, struggle to find permanent homes on the island, where housing costs are more than 300% above the national average.

Gonnella, a teacher in Nantucket public schools, said he has witnessed housing and food insecurity firsthand among his students.

“The awareness piece is huge because the housing crisis is real here,” Gonnella said. “So many people think of Nantucket as the billionaire boys’ club. And that may be true in July and August; there are a lot of super wealthy summer residents. But in our year-round community … a lot of our families are struggling to make ends meet. We call it the ‘Nantucket shuffle’ here, because people never know when they’re going to lose housing.”

A member of T.J. McGee Council 2612 sleeps on a bench along Main Street in Nantucket, Mass., during the council’s fundraiser Feb. 18. (Photo by Sanchez Saunders)

Last Ash Wednesday, the council raised about $15,000 for The Warming Place, the island’s only homeless shelter. Thanks to the council’s support, the center, which opened on a limited schedule in 2021, was able to expand its services to seven nights a week.

This year, Council 2612 is donating the proceeds from the homeless night to Nantucket Food, Fuel and Rental Assistance, an outreach service of the Nantucket Interfaith Council.

“We’re trying to help different groups each year to raise awareness of different aspects of homelessness,” explained Gillies. “This year was food and rental assistance, which is not necessarily supporting the homeless, but it’s people who are maybe on the cusp — and it’s still all part of that housing insecurity.”

Throughout the rest of the year, the council keeps busy with several other fundraisers in support of local charities and the parish community, such as participating in the annual Nantucket Island Fair and hosting charity cookouts.

“That can be very easy to do on a summer night in July — watching the sunset on the water and having a nice cocktail party or dinner,” Gillies said. “But to stay out all night in February on Nantucket, that takes a lot more than your regular summertime fundraiser.”

During their cold night out, the Knights received encouragement, prayers and pledges from community members and parishioners, both by text and in person. A local coffee shop sent over snacks and coffee, and someone else dropped off a pizza.

“It’s not just about the funds,” Gonnella said. “It’s about the community coming together to help — and how anybody can do things like this, simple acts of kindness.”

Knights from T.J. McGee Council 2612 in Nantucket, Mass., stand outside St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Church. — Knights from T.J. McGee Council 2612 in Nantucket, Mass., stand with council chaplain Father John Murray (left) outside St. Mary, Our Lady of the Isle Church during the council’s Knights Go Homeless fundraiser Feb. 18. (Photo by Sanchez Saunders)

Because the Knights began and ended the fundraiser with Mass, Gillies said it created a prayerful atmosphere as well. The next morning, the Knights returned to their normal lives cold and tired, but ready to take on the rest of the penitential season.

“It helped me prepare for my own Lent because I took a moment from my busy schedule to sit and think about others who don’t have all that I have,” Gillies reflected. “This is what Lent is about: giving of your own time, giving of your own talent to help others and to make an impact in your world.”

As the council plans to make the homeless night an annual occurrence, the members hope to encourage other councils in the jurisdiction and beyond to initiate similar efforts in their own communities.

“It doesn’t have to be homelessness; it doesn’t have to be housing insecurity,” said Gillies. “Anything in your community that needs attention, that needs some communal help — it would be great if other Knights went homeless on Ash Wednesday [to raise awareness]. You could do an hour; you could do two hours — it would be something that makes an impact.”

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CECILIA ENGBERT is a content producer for the Knights of Columbus communications department.