PHOTOS: Mardi Gras in Hingham

in Hingham held a Mardi Gras party on Friday at the and raised  $23,500 for homeless children with a live and silent auction and raffle.

All raffle and auction items were donated by Hingham and local businesses.

HMC member Cynthia Rosenfeld, who co-chaired the Building Blocks event, said this year's fundraiser was very successful and Pre-School Playmates is expecting even more donations later this week.

Friday's fundraiser was attended by Pre-School Playmates parents and teachers who enjoyed a buffet dinner and cocktails from the country club's bar before bidding on a variety of which included Patriots Tickets and a two-night stay at the Liberty Hotel.

All of the proceeds raised through the Mardi Gras party will benefit Horizons for Homeless Children, which is an organization based in Roxbury that creates Playspaces at homeless shelters all over the state as well as operating three Community Children’s Center pre-schools. The mission of Horizons for Homeless Children is to improve the lives of homeless children and their families. The Playspace Program was founded in 1990 to make healthy play possible for children living in shelters.

Maryann Landry, owner of Pre-School Playmates, said her goal each year is for all chilren to have a home.

"I feel like no child should be homeless," Landry said. "All children should have the same life."

To help Pre-School Playmates support Horizons for Homeless Children, visit Preschoolplaymates.com and donate.