BOISE, Idaho — A backyard party in Warm Springs Friday night showcased a new local effort called 'Music for a Cause,' which aims to support good community causes through concert events.
The party started at 6 p.m. and ran until 9 p.m., with the Idaho Office for Refugees (IOR) being the first beneficiary of the event.
The 41 Players and Jake Stigers performed at the event, which also featured food from the Shams sisters of Sunshine Spice Cafe and other ethnic cuisines by refugee/immigrant chefs in the area.
The event aimed to showcase how music, food and generous community support can come together to support things like refugee resettlement and other good causes in Idaho. Around 200 people attended the kick-off event.
Suzanne Long, one of the founders of Music for a Cause says the hope is to use unconventional events to help people, like refugees new to the area.
"Well, it's incredibly important, because we have about 1,300 refugees that the IOR will resettle into Boise communities this year," Long said. "It's everything from helping them to figure out the basics of how to live in the United States. That can be everything from how do you get to and register for school, how do you ride the bus, how do you find an apartment, how do you go to the grocery store? We just think that resettling into the Boise community not only helps the refugees, but it really helps us be a better community."
Organizers say they hope this is the first of many Music for a Cause events.
They are looking to work with the community soon on finding more causes to benefit, as well as other community members interested in sponsoring an event.
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