The organizers behind Taste of Palestine are hoping to raise funds for clean drinking water in northern Gaza while bringing the community together in Yellowknife.
Amy Lam says all proceeds from YK Citizens for Ceasefire’s second Taste of Palestine fundraiser will go toward the Yellowknife Well of Hope project, which aims to build a community water well in Beit Hanoun.
“The money we’ve been raising has been going directly to families on the ground that have a connection with the Palestinian community we have here in Yellowknife,” she said.
Lam said the family the group is connected to in Beit Hanoun, a city on the northeast edge of the Gaza Strip, has said potable water has been difficult to access. They asked for help to build a well for the community.
“We jumped right on it,” she said.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“It is something that is going to hopefully connect us on a long-term basis to that community in terms of our support and what they have built as a permanent piece of infrastructure for that community.”
Lam said the group hopes to raise $50,000 for the project through various fundraising efforts. More than $30,000 has already been raised and drilling work for the well has been completed on the ground.
A gathering of food and music
Since late 2023, YK Citizens for Ceasefire has organized marches and rallies in Yellowknife calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and humanitarian aid for Gaza. The group and its fundraising arm NWT4Gaza have also held fundraisers to support families in Gaza, including online auctions and a bottle drive.
The first Taste of Palestine dinner and auction, attended by 200 people in June 2024, raised $11,115.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
Lam said this year, attendees can expect a slightly more intimate event in a smaller venue. Volunteers will still be “cooking up a delicious meal” of Palestinian food.
The dine-in menu will include falafel, hummus, egg and spring rolls, samosa and baklava with options for takeout. The event will also feature an auction and live music from local artists Northwyne, Michelle Chui, Anica and Peter Adourian.
“This is going to be a chance for the community to gather,” Lam said.
“I think a lot of the time, people feel alone as to what they’re feeling and the grief over what they’re seeing every day. I mean, it’s a genocide that’s being live-streamed on our phones for over 500 days now and you feel like you’re so alone and you can’t make an impact.
“So bringing the community together – and whether it be sharing our grief, sharing our solidarity, sharing good food – just having that gathering is really important in these moments.”
A Taste of Palestine will take place from 5:30pm on Saturday at Northern United Place, with takeout pickup from 7:30-10pm.
Dine-in tickets are $75 for adults and $35 for kids 12 and under. Takeout is $35. Tickets can be purchased by e-transfering [email protected] with the message “Taste of Palestine,” the ticket option and number of tickets you are purchasing.
