Casa Dos Alas kicks off fundraiser

Casa Dos Alas, a Fayetteville nonprofit fighting food insecurity in area Hispanic communities, recently launched a campaign to raise $500,000 by June. The fundraiser initiative follows the success of its first pop-up market at Bayyari Elementary School in east Springdale.

The market served 72 households and 370 people, including 164 children. Among those served, 84% were Hispanic. More than 500 pounds of food was distributed, including fresh produce, meats and staples donated by Twin City Produce, Hertzog Meat Co. and the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. Kellanova donated backpacks full of school supplies. Pedal It Forward and PepsiCo also contributed to the event.

“This pop-up market not only provided necessary resources to our community but also reinforced its strong bonds,” said Juan Bahena, executive director of Casa Dos Alas. “We are excited to build on this momentum with our fundraising campaign, aiming to expand our reach and deepen our impact over the coming year.”

The campaign includes various donation tiers that allow donors to receive tickets to Casa Dos Alas events, such as Noche en Jalisco. In June, the nonprofit raised $137,500 at Noche en Jalisco at Ledger in Bentonville. More than 500 people attended the event, which offered a cultural experience featuring tequila tastings and Mexican food catered by Tula.

Bahena is the founder and owner of Tula in Fayetteville. In April, Bahena launched Casa Dos Alas to provide food that aligns with the Hispanic community’s traditions. The nonprofit plans more pop-up markets this fall.