While the benefit concert for Middletown’s homeless shelter fell short of its goal, Sandra Snyder, director of community relations at Hope House, said she was “thrilled” with the first-year event.

Country and gospel singer Ricky Skaggs, a 14-time Grammy winner, donated his talents during a two-hour concert last week at Princeton Church of God, and Snyder said the concert and auction generated $16,500, about $25,000 short of what she called “a very ambitious” goal.

She said 486 tickets were sold at $40 each, a number far lower than she hoped. She blamed the slow ticket sales on having the concert on a Thursday night.

A meat vendor, who wanted to remain anonymous, donated $3,500 worth of meat to Hope House, Snyder said.

Skaggs donated his time and talents and only his band, Kentucky Thunder, was paid, she said. Most of those expenses were covered by the concert’s major sponsors, Classic Country Radio, Contemporary Cabinetry East, Cox Media Group Ohio and Cohen Brothers, Snyder said.

She said another fundraiser will be held in the spring, and Hope House officials are contemplating what type of event.

Donations to Hope House have slipped dramatically, according to Snyder. Donations in 2011 were down 30 percent from the previous year. She said grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been reduced by 74 percent, and represent 7 percent of the mission’s operating budget, which is about $600,000.