Grace Cloutier, a North Haven native who trained at The Juilliard School, Yale University and in France, will perform a special concert of classical and holiday music on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. to benefit Sleeping Giant Build - Habitat for Humanity.

Known for her expressive musicality and rich, warm sound, Miss Cloutier is a recipient of many prestigious awards and has performed before audiences across the United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East. She gave her solo début and encore solo recital at Carnegie Hall (2006, 2008) as first prize winner of the International Competition of Artist International Presentations, and the New York Concert Review hailed her as "an accomplished, poised, self-assured performer."

Founded in 2007, the Sleeping Giant Build is a community-based group of local businesses, religious organizations, civic groups, individuals, and families, who have partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven. Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty housing through the creation of home-ownership opportunities for low-income, working families. Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses in the New Haven area -- with the help of the homeowner (partner) families. The resulting houses are attractive and affordable; increasingly they are providing a mechanism for revitalizing New Haven's poorest neighborhoods. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses. The Sleeping Giant Build is putting finishing touches on its third house, a single family home on Sylvan Street in New Haven.  For more information, visit www.sleepinggiantbuild.org 

Ms. Cloutier told The Rev. Matt Lincoln, Rector of St. John's Church that she particularly appreciates the people and community in the New Haven area, since she spent her childhood here.  "For me, one of the joys of life is giving back to the community via my music, and I am delighted to be performing this concert to benefit Sleeping Giant Build - Habitat for Humanity."

The concert will be held at St. John's historic church located at 3 Trumbull Place, on the North Haven Green. Tickets are: $20 adults; $10 children 6th grade and younger, or $15 to donate only, and are available either by email harpforhabitat@yahoo.com or at the door the night of the concert, beginning at 6:30 pm.  For more information about the concert please call 203-239-0156.