Yuma BBQ Fest raises funds for local nonprofits, overseas missions

At Destiny Christian Church’s Yuma campus on 42nd Street, the first Smoke & Fire BBQ Fest turned a barbecue competition into a fundraising pipeline: 70 percent of net proceeds were designated for World Ignite Network, while the remaining 30 percent was slated for Crossroads Mission, the Children’s Museum of Yuma County and Gateway to the Heart.

The all-day event ran Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. at 3185 East 42nd Street, with tickets listed from $15 to $55. Its organizers billed it as a nonprofit BBQ competition, concert and community event under the tagline “Fired Up for a Cause,” a framing that put mission work and local aid at the center of the festivities rather than treating the food as the only attraction.

The scene on the church grounds was built to feel like a neighborhood gathering. Families found a kids area, live music, photo opportunities and cooking stations where ribs were being prepared on site. Jeff and Christine Stoner of Yuma Electric Service presented the festival, adding a familiar local business name to an event that depended as much on community relationships as on barbecue.

Alysia Schweda, who served as spokesperson for the festival, said the effort was intended to do more for Yuma than host a good time. Her role reflected the church’s broader outreach network, which she tied to long-running overseas missions and to a local push to support needs in Yuma County. Schweda has more than 20 years of experience serving families, mentoring youth and working with vulnerable populations, which fit the event’s mix of entertainment and service.

The beneficiary list underscored how closely the fundraiser was linked to established local institutions. Crossroads Mission has served Yuma’s homeless population for decades and has been described as indispensable to the community. The Children’s Museum of Yuma County opened in April 2023 at 200 Main Street after years of planning and fundraising. Gateway to the Heart says it raises funds and assists people in need, and its annual backpack drive began in 2020.

The first Smoke & Fire BBQ Fest showed how a church campus can operate as more than a worship site. With food, music and fundraising folded into one weekend event, the model gave Yuma a repeatable format that could draw families, vendors and musicians while directing money to both overseas missions and local nonprofits.