Orchestras collect

More than 150 Orchestras in 41 states (numbers increasing daily) will participate in Orchestras Feeding America, a large-scale national food drive that will take place during the month of March (see the MidTexas Symphony or San Antonio Symphony). For the second consecutive year, musicians, volunteers, and staff from member orchestras of the League of American Orchestras will collect and donate food to their local food assistance agencies or food banks within Feeding America’s network of more than 200 food banks and 63,000 agencies. Last year 250 orchestras from all 50 states donated more than 200,000 pounds of food.
For more information about Orchestras Feeding America, including a list of participating orchestras, please visit the League’s website americanorchestras.org.
“Last year orchestras heeded the call to help their neighbors with the passion and dedication that they have long shown in making music for their communities,” said Jesse Rosen, President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. “This year, when the need is even greater, we are seeing the same passion and even more resourcefulness in building partnerships to help alleviate hunger.”
Among those partnerships, the South Carolina Symphony Orchestra and the Harvest Hope Food Bank have created a fundraiser for the food bank in addition to the usual activities of a food drive. The Union United Methodist Church and its youth group have adopted the Quincy Symphony Orchestra (Canton, MO) food drive as a service project.
Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America, said, “After the success of last year’s Orchestras Feeding America food drive, we are thankful for the incredible support and commitment from the League of American Orchestras and their constituency. The need for food assistance has never been greater and Feeding America is thrilled that orchestras and musicians nationwide are coming together to help support those in need within their community.”
49.1 million Americans, of which 16.7 million were children, lived in food insecure households in 2008, according to the most recent USDA study. Each week approximately 5.7 million people receive emergency food assistance from an agency served by a Feeding America member. This is a 27 percent increase over the 4.5 million reported served weekly in Hunger in America 2006.
About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, its network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org/, facebook.com/FeedingAmerica and twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.