The Brazilian Student Association at UF is reacting quickly to the floods that hit Rio de Janeiro and the surrounding mountainous region of the country last week.
In response to the natural disaster, organizations around the globe are in the process of sending aid to the flood victims who are now reaching record numbers.
The latest official count by the Rio de Janeiro state prosecutor’s office was 207 missing and 741 dead, according to a Reuters source.
That was last Wednesday.
Now, BRASA is joining the collaborative effort by organizing a fundraiser and donation drive for Sunday.
The event will be held at 1713 NW Sixth St. from noon to 10 p.m.
For a $15 pre-sale ticket or a $20 at-the-door fee, BRASA will be preparing “feijoada,” a traditional dish made of rice, beans and several native foods.
Weslley Albuquerque, charity director of BRASA, says feijoada has been a recreational tradition for the student association in past years.
It typically brings more than 200 people together for food, music and Brazilian culture.
“I came to the U.S. in 2001,” Albuquerque said. “But Rio will always be my home.”
Because of the torrential rains that have inundated a large part of his native city and other surrounding towns, Albuquerque and the rest of the BRASA team are striving to collect non-perishable food, hygiene products, bed linens, towels and first aid for their fellow Brazilians.
The flooding began after heavy rainfall on Jan. 11.
