All proceeds from event will benefit Because He First Loved Us – a relational ministry in Salt Lake
Utah is home to over 50,000 refugees, 97% of which live in the Salt Lake Valley. It’s estimated that refugees comprise nearly 5% of Salt Lake’s population, with over a thousand new refugees arriving each year. Many of these refugees are displaced from war-torn Africa, along the coast of the Arabian Sea.
While there are many groups here in Utah that assists refugees during their transition phase, one group in particular is gaining attention due to their grass roots approach. The group, called Because He First Loved Us (BHFLU) relies solely on volunteers to run their weekly program. The program consists of transporting and tutoring 75-100 refugee children each week who live in the Salt Lake Valley. BHFLU also helps the children become involved in art camps and sporting activities, to give them positive ways to express themselves as individuals.
Last year a group of friends between the ages of 20 and 30 decided they wanted to get involved in the community and give back for Christmas. After searching for a worthwhile cause, they organized a charity event to help raise money for BHFLU. Over 30 local companies sponsored the event which was full of music, food and prizes amongst other things. Through their efforts, they were able to provide Christmas for 22 children.
Due to the success of last year’s event, the group decided to organize the same event this year, calling it the 2nd Annual “Christmas 4 The Kids”. There has been tremendous support from the community to participate in this event and raise awareness of the refugees in our community. The sponsorships have already swelled to over 50 local companies this year. The event will take place on Saturday, December 7th at Trolley Square and will consist of carnival games, food, silent auction, raffle items and a music program. The event is suitable for all ages and is a great way to celebrate the Holiday Season all while making an impact in our community.
Facebook Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/222360957934850
Promo Video
Aaron Neuenschwander, one of the lead organizers of the event, said, “Christmas 4 The Kids is more than just an excuse to have fun. It’s about raising awareness of all our brothers and sisters from various countries who are trying to establish a new life here in Utah. It’s about helping them hold on to their culture, while feeling accepted and integrated into ours. The hope is that eventually there is no longer such a thing as” their culture” and “our culture”, but one collective culture, where everyone feels welcome and accepted.”
About BHFLU: BHFLU (http://bhflu.org/) is a lay ministry that gets involved in the lives of over 70 refugee children between the ages of 3-18. The group tutors these kids at Discovery Christian community. The instruction is purely secular. BHFLU relies on volunteers and private donations to fund their program. The couple running this program, Danielle and Danjuma Alcala, have been successfully operating this program for over 7 years.
