Coalition Switches Charities for Largest Event of the Year

Photo by Haley Bell

Coalition has switched charities for their largest event of the year, the Love concert, previously known as the Love146 concert. All donations and the proceeds from the school supply drive will benefit refugees in Kansas City through Refugees 4 KC and Syrian children in Syria through Syrian Relief and Development.

The concert, on Feb. 25  from 7 to 11 PM  at Country Club Christian, will be preceded by a school supply drive from Jan. 30 until Feb. 24 contributing to the Refugees 4 KC organization. Donations at the concert will benefit Syrian Relief and Development. New this year at the concert, students listening will have the opportunity to help create the school supply goody bags consisting of notebooks, pens, pencils, and other school supplies.

In years past, monetary donations from the Love 146 concert supported the Love 146 organization, which works against child trafficking. However, this year, Coalition sponsor David Muhammad and the coalition board agreed that although important, the living situation in Syria is a more imminent threat. With families being displaced and rebel groups fighting the government, the country is unstable and dangerous for families.

“Right now this is a huge issue,” junior and Coalition board member Kelly Romer said. “It’s being compared to the Holocaust, so I feel like we need to address it.”

The actual idea of supporting Syrians was initiated in Muhammad’s International Relations class when he presented a documentary on the current state of Syria and the general population.

“It was so moving that I felt like, ‘Ah we’ve got to do something,’” Muhammad said. “When you see the footage and you see what’s going on, I don’t think you can not be moved if you’re a human being.”

The board has not yet discussed whether or not there will be another fundraiser to support the old Love146 charity in upcoming years.

“I like the idea of not always doing the same thing,” Muhammad said. “I don’t know, maybe we will keep it called the Love Concert and figure out where we want to spread the love next year.”

View the interactive on The Love Concert by Will Tulp here: The Love Concert Interactive