Night of 1000 Dinners to honor local women-led organizations

Night of 1000 Dinners, a virtual celebration of International Women’s Day, will honor Inside Out Reentry Community, Iowa City Compassion and Open Heartland, three women-led organizations aiding people in transition and advancing the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals in Johnson County. The event will be held Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Night of 1000 Dinners, held annually for the last 20 years, will feature multicultural presentations by the Oakdale Community Choir, the student musical group Iowa Angi, and the Burmese poet Mae Yway, a former participant in the UI International Writing Program, as well as presentations by the three honored organizations.

The event will raise funds to support the three organizations plus the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Inside Out Reentry Community serves people returning to Johnson County after incarceration; Iowa City Compassion engages culturally diverse communities to move out of poverty and be of service to others; and Open Heartland serves the Latino immigrant community who have escaped violence, extreme poverty, and lack of access to educational and health services. UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, protects the rights of refugees worldwide.

Tickets are $25 for community members and $10 for students or those hard-hit by the pandemic. Donations in any amount are gratefully accepted. To purchase tickets or donate, visit www.johnsoncountyuna.org or mail a check payable to JCUNA with email address to JCUNA, 308 E. Burlington St, #245, Iowa City, IA 52241.

The Johnson County Chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA will host the event, with the support of 25 community groups and businesses: 100 Grannies for a Livable World, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Blank & McCune — The Real Estate Company, Congregation Agudas Achim, Full Circle Faith Community, GreenState Credit Union, Hills Bank and Trust Co., Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, Iowa City Human Rights Commission, Iowa Peace Corps Association, Iowa Women’s Foundation, James Investment Group, MidWestOne Bank, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Peace Iowa, Refugee and Immigrant Association, Sanctuary Community Church, Simmons Perrine Moyer Berman, Trinity Episcopal Church, UI Campus Chapter of UNA-USA, UI International Programs, UI School of Social Work, Unitarian Universalist Society, Veridian Credit Union and Veterans for Peace.

The U.N. Sustainable Goals are a set of 17 targets for the period 2015 through 2030. These goals include the elimination of hunger and poverty as well as gender equality, climate action and protection of the environment. Each one of the honored groups is advancing these goals at the community level, as well as aiding people in transition.

The Johnson County Chapter of UNA-USA is the local affiliate of the United Nations Association of the USA, a non-governmental, non-partisan membership movement advocating for constructive U.S. leadership in the world body.