Led by: Fatma Inal-Falls and Nicole Lebsack
Type of Event: Tacos & Tequila Fundraiser Gala
Organization: COMEA House and Resource Center
Outcome: The community turned out for a fun event and donated generously to help the homeless population in Laramie County.
In keeping with our goal to give back to our community during our 30th year of business, two RMI team members volunteered at a Tacos & Tequila fundraiser for the local COMEA House homeless shelter and resource center in February.
COMEA offers housing, meals and case management for anyone who is homeless or at high risk for homelessness in Laramie County. They operate in the heart of downtown Cheyenne, and work directly with a population that often is overlooked in our community.
This is the second annual event, and it looks to me they’ve found a successful formula – COMEA Executive Director Robin Bocanegra said they reached their goal of $100,000 raised and saw double the attendance and contributions of last year’s fundraiser.
“It’s important for us to have a signature event, not just for the money but also to connect to the community, to talk about homelessness and adults, to tell the story of people who fell through the cracks,” she said. “This is what happens when kids can’t access services like the Boys & Girls Club and miss that piece of healing – the damage is done.
“We have to approach this differently. It’s about awareness and communicating to the community; it’s about more than just money.”
For us, all it took was a few hours out of one weekend – a little investment for a huge return. What a perfect example of what happens when a community comes together for a common goal.
The Tacos & Tequila fundraiser was on Feb. 22, 2020. Friends, things sure have changed since then! Everything seems uncertain as we hunker down in our homes, practicing “social distancing” to help curb the spread of the coronavirus that’s caused a global pandemic. But while we’re taking care of ourselves, we can’t forget we’re part of a larger community. Check on your neighbors, your elderly relatives, and those for whom this is a crisis rather than an inconvenience. Organizations like COMEA must carry on like usual, and they’ll need our help now more than ever. Find ways you can support COMEA by visiting their website or Facebook page.
Written by: Nicole Lebsack, Creative Marketing Specialist
Take a peek behind the scenes:
