What began as a bid to find his stolen jacket has become an opportunity for Jack Mullen ’19 to help local families in need.

Tonight in The Horn Gallery, Mullen will host “Give Back the Jacket,” a benefit concert featuring many student entertainment groups to raise funds for Interchurch Social Services, a Mount Vernon based food pantry that also works to provide clothing to those in need.

“It does sound like a joke, it did start as a joke, and it is marketed like a joke,” Mullen said, “but it is not a joke.”

Once Mullen realized someone had stolen his jacket earlier this semester, he distributed posters of the lost coat in hopes of recovering it. Many people found his attempts amusing, according to Mullen, so he turned the search into a joke, crowdsourcing funds to produce buttons with a photo of his missing jacket.

Throughout the next couple of weeks, students across campus sported the buttons. Mullen said he realized he might never get his jacket back, but found himself in a unique situation where a lot of students were in on his joke, waiting to see how it would develop.

“At one point I made this joke and I was just like, ‘all right, well now I’m gonna have to make a benefit concert,’” Mullen said. “Then, well, I just ended up doing it.”

Jenna Rochelle ’18, a friend of Mullen’s who had worked with Interchurch Social Services last semester, suggested he donate the proceeds from the concert to the organization. Rochelle also offered to help organize the concert and will be performing stand-up comedy with other members of the stand-up group Two Drink Minimum.

The concert promises to be a night of comedy and music. Along with members of Two Drink, groups including improv troupe Fools on the Hill, Pep Band and student bands Shedding Velvet and Creationism have all agreed to perform.

Over 70 people have responded to the Facebook event, but Mullen and Rochelle expressed concerns that people would think the event is a joke, rather than an actual concert to benefit a charity.

The benefit concert is tonight in The Horn at 9:00 p.m. The suggested donation is $2.00.

“Best outcome: we get a good turnout, we get enough money to buy clothes for people who need them, we have a good time, and some bands get some publicity,” Mullen said.