Durga Tree gala a sold-out success

ANDOVER — The fifth annual Durga Tree International gala, held on Oct. 21, was once again a sold-out success. The Hocus Pocus Ball, a Victorian magic-themed fundraising event, was held at the exclusive Hudson Farm in Andover, NJ. Guests were greeted by good witches serving champagne from a smoking cauldron, and once inside, they had the opportunity to have their fortunes read by psychics and work their magic at the casino tables. Guests danced until the witching hour to music spun by renowned NYC DJ Kevin Woodley and sampled themed cocktails like witches’ brew.
Funds raised that evening went toward the DT Bloom™ program, a whole-person model of collaborative psycho-social care for women survivors of abuse, forced labor, or sexual exploitation.
Durga Tree co-founder and Executive Director Beth Tiger said, “This gala is a celebration of a year of fantastic achievements toward eradicating human slavery. We are blessed to have wonderful donors and are tremendously grateful for their generosity. Our Bloom™ program is up and running in Thailand, with our inaugural group of women making the first line of bracelets to be sold under the DT Bloom™ program. We have much to celebrate and still much to do, but are so pleased with what we have accomplished in 2017.”
At four years old, this collaborative non-profit organization, co-created by Beth and Tim Tiger and Jess Hoertel, has raised over $500,000 to aid in the war against Modern Slavery. As a project driven non-profit organization, they work with grassroot organizations around the world who are on the ground actively working to end this epidemic. Durga Tree International’s mission is to “take the homework out of becoming involved in this movement by qualifying hardworking, worthy organizations from around the world, and then becoming the fundraising vehicle they so desperately need.”
Additional Durga Tree International events are planned for 2018, including the fourth annual Lacing Up for Freedom walk in May. For more information on the gala as well as other events and opportunities, visit their website, durgatreeinternational.org. They can be reached at info@DurgaTreeInternational.org or by phone at 973-461-6621.
Durga Tree International is located on Wilson Drive in Sparta.