NomFest helps poor, homeless
Charity Food and Arts Festival raises funds for Nom Prophets, Friend Inc. and Ministries at Main Street Homeless Shelter
NomFest 2016: Charity Food and Arts Festival at Kutztown Park on July 24 helped the poor and homeless.
All proceeds benefit event founder Nom Prophets of Kutztown, Friend Inc. Community Services of Kutztown and the Ministries at Main Street Homeless Shelter in Pottstown.
“While the heat kept some people away, it was still a fun day,” posted formerly homeless Kutztown resident Julia Zion who founded Nom Prophets, a Kutztown based non-profit organization that provides meals, job training and self confidence to the homeless and poor.
“We made some awesome tacos, heard some awesome music from Nerd Surge, Paul Dake and Jason Charles Hinkle, met some wonderful vendors, such as Sheila Sacks Designs and The Faerie Garbmother, and made some connections for next year. Our volunteers were wonderful as well and we couldn’t have done this without them,” said Zion.
The fundraising event included food and art vendors, activities for kids, bands, cooking demonstrations, a silent auction and more.
“The big overall message that I want to send to the community is that there are a lot of people that are in need and through festivals like this, because festivals like this happen a lot of places, they don’t just have to be for prophet. They can do some good,” said Zion. “You can go out and make money for good causes like helping the poor or wildlife or what not, they are all different causes. This is just the one that is near and dear to my heart.”
Zion was once homeless. She was given the opportunity to cook at a shelter while staying there. In November, she founded Nom Prophets to help the poor and homeless.
She and other Nom Prophet volunteers served freshly made tacos and Zion’s own made salsas at Nom Fest.
“We try to serve dinner with a little dignity. This is the quality of food that we have all the time when we go to a shelter,” said Zion. “It’s high quality. We aren’t just opening cans and putting out slices of meat. That’s what (NomFest) funds.”
Robyn Beam, Muhlenberg, of The Faerie Garbmother, and her son Aidan, 18, sold hand made hats.
“I’m always for community things. I love things that give back to the community,” said Beam.
Mary Beth Weidman, 16, Topton, a rising junior at Brandywine Heights High School, heard about the event at the Topton Street Fair. She wants to create a business out of her passion, photography, and selling her photography at events such this one is her way of starting her business venture.
“I think supporting the homeless shelter is really something that is really important, especially since there are more people that are facing financial issues due to any number of things, especially student debt and things like that. So I think it’s a really important cause. And Friend is an important cause, too,” said Weidman.
Dan Faust and his son Hayden, 23, offered salsa and hot sauce tastings for their family business Smokin’ Peppers of Fleetwood. Smokin’ Peppers sells Julia Zion’s salsas that she makes to benefit Nom Prophets’ mission to help the poor and homeless.
“We wanted to come out and support them,” said Faust. “It’s for the community, for the benefit of raising some money for the homeless shelter. It makes you feel good to be able to help.”
Zion said that hosting NomFest has been a learning experience for Nom Prophets. While turnout was okay, she said they laid the foundations to make next year bigger. They hope to make NomFest an annual event. Next year’s event will be held in early September.
For more information about Nom Prophets, visit http://w w w.nomprophets.org/.