TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee restaurant owner is turning her passion for Venezuelan culture into a mission to help families in her home country following recent earthquakes.
Lida Yajure, co-owner of VeneBites, grew up in Venezuela before moving to the United States at 17. Years later, she opened VeneBites in Tallahassee to share the flavors of her homeland with the community.
After watching the devastation unfold from thousands of miles away, Yajure said she knew she wanted to help.
“We are completely heartbroken. I don’t think anything can express how deeply sad we are about what’s going on in Venezuela,” she said. “It started with asking what we could do to raise some funds.”
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To support relief efforts, VeneBites will host “VeneBingo” Saturday. The fundraiser will feature $5 bingo cards, with proceeds benefiting organizations that provide food, clean water, hygiene supplies and medical care to families and children impacted by the disaster.
“It’s been a whole community effort,” she said.
Local restaurants, FSU student organizations and community members have joined together to support the fundraiser, helping turn a night of music, food and bingo into a way to help those in need.
The Venezuelan Student Association will split the proceeds evenly between Caritas Venezuela and FUNDANA, two organizations providing aid to communities across Venezuela.
VeneBingo starts at 8 p.m. Saturday at the restaurant, located at 217 E 3rd Ave.
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