Local nonprofit that helps refugees holding community concert - East Idaho News
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Local nonprofit that helps refugees holding community concert

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REXBURG — A local nonprofit organization is throwing a benefit concert to thank the community for the support they’ve been given so far.

“What we want to do is put on a concert for the community as a way to say thank you (for) the amazing generosity that we’ve seen since we’ve started Rexburg for Refugees,” founder Emmilie Whitlock said.

Rexburg for Refugees is a grassroots nonprofit started by Rexburg couple Eric and Emmilie Whitlock. In April they made their home a local hub for donations to aid in the refugee crisis. For the last two months they’ve received an outpouring of support from the community.

“We’ve collected thousands and thousands of items. I can’t even put a number on it, it’ s just been daily (that) we are receiving donations,” Emmilie said.

To give back to the community the Whitlocks have partnered with the Rexburg Pizza Hut, local bands and community vendors for a free benefit concert. The concert will be held in the Pizza Hut parking lot, and will fall on United Nations official World Refugee Day, June 20. Whitlock said in addition to supporting the community it’s a day to celebrate refugees.

“It’s just this great day to honor refugees and their plight and everything that they represent,” Emmilie said.

Three local bands are set to perform from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Yellowstone Highway, Vic Fox and the Forest Fires.

Emmilie Whitlock says information about Rexburg For Refugees and what people can do to aid in refugees will be available at the event. She hopes families will come out and support the event and become more educated about the refugee crisis.

“(We’re) really just helping from afar and showing our support to these people that have really been displaced from their homes and their lives and are trying to make a fresh start here in the United States. We want to encourage families to have that conversation and talk about what they can do to help,” Emmilie said.

A raffle will be held for an iPad, and raffle tickets will be sold for $1 a ticket. On Monday nights Pizza Hut in Rexburg has agreed to donate a portion of proceeds to Rexburg for Refugees upon mention.

For information on the benefit concert go to its event page.

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