The Parkside neighborhood will be the site of an African Gala celebrating African food and culture on Saturday, September 20th at the Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Church on Mellen Street. The colorful event, which will run from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., is a fundraiser for a parish that is a vital source of financial and spiritual assistance for many local residents.
The gala will feature traditional dishes from Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and many other countries. Burundi dancers and drummers will entertain at the gathering, which will also include performances from Les Voix des Anges, a choir comprised of nearly 30 men and women, most from central African countries, that sings in four different languages.
Proceeds from the gala will benefit the Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Capital Campaign, which aims to make necessary repairs to the historic church located on the corner of Mellen and Sherman Streets. To date, the parish has raised close to $150,000 with a campaign goal of $200,000.
Sacred Heart/St. Dominic Parish provides countless community programs, social justice presentations, and workshops for local residents, including Catholic Charities Refugee & Immigration Services. The parish’s food pantry distributes close to 3,000 pounds of food each week, and when in need, hundreds in the neighborhood turn to the parish for clothes and household items.
