When COVID-19 struck the world, many organizations were forced to cancel their fundraising events.
To the Union Relief Association of Westfield, this was devastating. Union Relief typically holds several fundraisers during the year to raise money to support their mission of giving temporary relief to people in the Westfield area who may be struggling and in need of a little assistance.
The need is often the greatest during the holiday season and annually Union Relief organizes a Christmas program to help Westfield families and senior citizens.
Union Relief’s biggest fundraiser for the Christmas program is the Charity Ball, which has been held every year for almost 100 years. However, without COVID subsiding, it was impossible to safely hold this long-standing event. Members of the organization, faced with a year where community need was greater and program expenses were projected to exceed $ 10,000 dollars, decided to reach out to the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and other community groups and members to ask for help.