Sarah Silverman started her stand up career in Boston. Not even out of high school, the New Hampshire comic took the stage for the first time at Stitches, the long-closed comedy club a stone’s throw from Boston University.

“My whole plan was, ‘I’m going to do an open mic.’ ” Silverman told the Herald. “I was 17, living in a dorm at BU for the summer (taking classes) and I got five minutes together and I went to Stitches.”

The five minutes went, well, OK.

“It was an open mic crowd so they were very nice,” Silverman said with a laugh. “And my high school history teacher came so I was very excited.”

The next Boston stage she’ll stand on will be very different.

On Saturday, Silverman joins host Denis Leary and guests including Conan O’Brien and Lenny Clarke for the 29th edition of Comics Come Home at the TD Garden. The annual event raises money for the Cam Neely Foundation, which helps pediatric and adult cancer patients and their families while undergoing treatment.

Despite her local connections, Silverman has never performed at the event. This year the stars aligned.

“It’s a schlep, but whatever,” Silverman said. “I’d probably fly out there if Denis Leary asked me to mow his lawn because he’s a quality person. I’m really happy to be a part of this because it’s been something that I’ve always been aware of.”

As Leary has told the Herald in the past, for comics, the event is a chance to hang out with friends and other comics they’ve long admired but never get to see. Silverman echoed that sentiment.

“Comics have this forever bond but we live parallel lives and don’t see each other,” she said. “We are always right in front of each other on tour or right behind each other on tour.”

“For me, the joy is during the show and watching from the side, being backstage, catching up, kibitzing, gossiping,” she added. “When comics are together, it’s always special.”

Silverman doesn’t know exactly what to expect at Comics Come Home. She doesn’t even know exactly what she’ll do on stage. After two stand up specials in three years — one of which was taped at Boston’s Wilbur Theater — she doesn’t have many fresh ideas.

“I’m at zero, (expletive) zero, with material” she said. “I’m a little panicked.”

Although she knows one thing she’ll be doing.

“There’s a song from the special before the last that Denis requested,” she said.

If she’ll mow his lawn, she will definitely fulfill a request to sing the absurd and absurdly funny ballad “Something to Tell You.”

For tickets and details, visit camneelyfoundation.org