OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Great beer, good music, and a whole lot of heart – that’s what the 11th annual Brick City Beer and Wine Festival is all about. Set for April 19 in downtown Ocala, this community event does more than bring people together for a good time – it supports three local nonprofits doing life-changing work right here in Marion County.

Karla Greenway, CEO of Interfaith Emergency Services, says the collaboration between her organization, the Kimberly Center, and the Marion County Literacy Council has made a lasting impact.

“We really work well together,” she said. “We share a lot of the same supporters, but just collectively we work well. We are three local charities that work in very different arenas… but complement each other and often have similar clients or have the same clients cross over.”

Interfaith has been meeting basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, and medical assistance in the community since 1983. “We’re basically here to just provide those needs that everyone should have,” Greenway said.

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Tamara Fleischaker, board president of the Kimberly Center for Child Protection, shared a sobering statistic: “One in four children experience abuse or neglect.” But her team is working to change that. “We are trying to not re-traumatize children when they actually do get into a situation where the abuse or neglect has been reported,” she explained. “They get to talk to whoever needs to be a part of that journey of healing for them.”

And for those who struggle with reading or completing their education, the Marion County Literacy Council is there. Board member RJ Jenkins says the impact of literacy reaches far beyond the classroom.

“One in five adults in Marion County have difficulty reading above a fifth-grade level,” Jenkins said. “So much of what Karla and Tamara are up against starts with folks who have low literacy.”

In addition to beer, wine, and cider tastings, this year’s event will also feature food trucks, root beer floats for the kids, a photo booth, and live music all afternoon. One big highlight? The Wind-FM Battle of the Bands winner will be announced during the festival, adding some extra excitement to an already fun-filled day.

General admission tickets are $50, with early entry available at 1 p.m. for $60. All proceeds benefit the three featured nonprofits. For tickets and details, visit brickcitybeerandwinefest.com.

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