FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — One local family took it upon themselves to try and help children in Gaza on Friday night.

The Haj family hosted a “Feed The Children Gaza” fundraising event at Mount Sequoyah.

The money raised is going to the World Central Kitchen, an organization that provides meals to families suffering from hunger or food insecurity in the Gaza strip.

To help raise those funds, the event hosted a silent auction of about 80 items.

Laurie Haj is a member of the family that organized “Feed The Children Gaza.”

“Our family was so distressed by what’s going on in Gaza, that children are starving that we wanted to do something. And so this was a good way for us to raise some funds for World Central Kitchen which is a top-notch organization,” Haj said.

She says her husband helped cook a traditional Palestinian dish for attendees.

Haj says they surpassed their $5,000 fundraising goal.

They now have a new benchmark at $10,000.

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