Fundraiser features international fare

Tastes from around the world will be the highlight of the annual M&N Augustine Foundation International Festival set for Saturday evening in the Norm and Caroline DeBriyn Center at St. Joseph School in Fayetteville.

The evening will feature food, clothing and cultural information from countries such as Sri Lanka, Cameroon, Peru, Mexico, the Marshall Islands and Panama. Cajun fare will also be on the menu along with ribs, sweet potato pie and mashed potatoes and gravy.

Proceeds from the evening will help the 100 percent volunteer organization fulfill its mission: "The M&N Augustine Foundation for Human Development Inc. is a client-centered, non-bureaucratic, result-oriented organization which exists to elevate downtrodden humanity through educational, financial and social means."

The foundation, which will mark its 26th anniversary Nov. 16, began as a means to assist those who had "suffered catastrophic events, such as a death in the family, house fire or unexpected hospitalization," said Joe Augustine, foundation CVO -- chief volunteer officer. The foundation only asks that in return, those helped repay the favor by volunteering or donating to the group.

The foundation established the nearly 20-year-old Easter Feed, held the Saturday before Easter, to provide a "home cooked meal for the homeless, needy, elderly, lonely, unemployed and displaced" at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. The group serves more than 6,000 meals each year in that one day.

The group also operates Caring Kitchen every week to provide meals for veterans, elderly, homeless and those wanting company every Tuesday during the summer and Tuesdays and Thursdays during the winter at the foundation's headquarters in Fayetteville.

-- CARIN SCHOPPMEYER

[email protected]

NAN Our Town on 11/15/2018