Provo art show to raise money for hungry Venezuelans

PROVO — A local artist is teaming up with a Provo restaurant to feed Venezuelan families who are battling a major economic crisis in the country.

While many of us are busy buying gifts, decking the halls and basking in the glow of the season, families in Venezuela are struggling to put even the most basic food items on their tables. Inflation in the country has reached catastrophic highs due in large part to the drop in oil prices, an unstable government and crippling national debt, CNN reported.

Currently, the country’s largest banknote is worth about 2 U.S. cents, according to Forbes. One bolivar (Venezuelan dollar) is worth less than a U.S. penny.

Bills are so scarce the government put a daily cap on how much cash could be withdrawn by an individual — it amounts to just over $2, the Washington Post reported. That’s barely enough to buy a basic item like a loaf of bread, laundry detergent or a few packs of chewing gum, according to Reuters.

People are forced to wait in long lines at the banks and grocery stores, often reaching the front to be turned away with nothing, according to CNN. Even if the items they need are in stock, most can’t afford to buy them anymore.

And so they go hungry.

Provo artist and art educator James Rees is painfully aware of the suffering happening 3,500 miles away. His wife, Maribel, is from Venezuela, and earlier this year her relatives in the country reached out in desperation, asking the couple for help.

“We received pictures from family and friends of their empty cupboards,” Rees said. “What we would have left over from one meal, that’s what they’d have to make do with for months.”

Stories of food shortages, crime and looting kept streaming in. One relative explained how it took two weeks’ salary just to buy a pound of hamburger.

“We just felt where we had so much, we should do what we could,” Rees, who served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Venezuela, said.

Back in April, the couple gathered food items and shipped a few test packages to Venezuela — not knowing if the goods would make it into the intended hands. When they received confirmation that the first packages had arrived safely, they organized an effort to send more.

“We may not be able to make a difference for millions, but we can make a difference in the lives of a few people,” he said.

Since the first deliveries, the couple has sent four additional two-ton food shipments with the help of donations from family, friends and the Provo community. They ask the recipients to send photos of the packages to confirm they've been successfully delivered.

Along with photos, beneficiaries have also sent messages of gratitude. "Thank you very much for your generosity," wrote one Venezuelan. "We today received the box. May the Lord bless you greatly to you and all yours … has been perfect timing for us, since we are going through difficult times, but I have faith in our Lord that everything will happen."

Rees set up a GoFundMe page* to aid the effort — the page has brought in more than $1,600 that goes to help cover high shipping costs — currently about $1 per pound of food.

“We started looking outward to the community for help,” Rees said.

At a wedding reception, Rees and some friends came up with an idea.

“The table is a natural place where people come together and connect,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be great to have an art show related to food? A metaphoric table where we’re sharing what we have in a very meaningful way.”

And so, the Table to Table event was born. On Monday evening from 5 to 9 p.m., people can head to Guru’s Café in Provo, grab a bite to eat and browse works from 20 local artists priced between $100 and $300. Guru’s will donate 60 percent of proceeds from food purchases to the Reeses’ project, and 100 percent of artwork sales will go to help Venezuelans, Rees said.

“We’ve tried to get images related to food,” he said. “We want to get that symbolism.” Attendees are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food and hygiene items to the event — large bins are already in place at Guru’s for those who want to help in that way. Some of the most needed items include rice, oats, powdered milk, peanut butter, ibuprofen, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

Rees said that while he realizes there are many charitable opportunities this time of year, he’s hopeful that people will choose to participate in a cause that has become a passion for his family.

“We’re hoping the dire need and severity of the situation in Venezuela will make people receptive to helping,” Rees said.

The Rees family hopes to continue to grow their effort — plans are already in the works for a larger-scale fundraising event sometime in the spring. And even if they can’t solve the seemingly hopeless problem as a whole, they hope to make a small difference for as many families as they can reach.

“When I find that people are struggling to feed their kids or eating just one bowl of rice, in a personal way it made me feel almost guilty to realize how much we take for granted,” Rees said. “They spend hours in line and hope they can find eggs. It’s really what pulls me to continue and do what we’ve been doing.”

For more information on the event, visit the official Facebook page.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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