The '1 of 52' Hunger Network Newsletter
Volume #22 March 21st, 2010 by Stephen M. Maciel
President, End Hunger Foundation, Inc. 501(c)(3) c2001
Founder '1 of 52' Hunger Network c1988
401-368-1325, endhunger@cox.net, www.1of52.net
175 Hazard Rd. W. Greenwich, RI USA 02817-1970
Hi & welcome to our 22nd '1 of 52' Hunger Network Newsletter.
Lots to report. As usual, much of this newsletter will be focused on things happening in our headquarters' backyard of Southern New England. Most of the activities, however, relate nationally and are a microcosm of many of your great actions out in the field. As always, we encourage you to send us pre-publicity info of your '1 of 52' actions to be posted on our website - www.1of52.net.
As reported in our last newsletter, we've been diligently working behind the scenes with hunger and business organizations building programs that help create community wealth to address the root cause of hunger: poverty. We've had some great success taking all our / your work out laterally into the venues where we perform, the businesses that sponsor us, and the consumers who support us.
Here's a way musicians can be directly involved in one of our working model programs: Do you have retail ready CD's or DVD's that you may be willing to utilize promotionally? We have set up a partnership with area hotels to showcase local businesses' products and services to their guests - all with a special emphasis on shopping locally - for local products (which goes directly to the 'bottom line' of the economy).
This marketing campaign centers on 'Welcome' Gift Baskets that are a package option for overnight visitors. The gift basket overflows with indigenous products including our hunger benefit CD "The Time Is Now".* An opportunity exists for your (retail ready) CD or DVD to be featured in these packages. Including your CD / DVD creates awareness and showcases your product to a desirable demographic. We are also designing the presentation to include an invitation to visit and save on local music at a local music store that features local music (Looney Tunes in SK, RI - find them on facebook - contact me for details on this program).
One aspect of this campaign to shop locally for local products is promoting local farm products / farms - an important source of food within the community - this ties the campaign's focus back to the cause of ending hunger.
In our last newsletter, we told you about '1 of 52' member Santana Roberts and how she was tapping her agricultural 4-H roots in a very unique event to benefit local food pantries and bring attention to local farms in a unique event called 'Locally Grown - Locally Given'. The event collected 500 pounds of food and $2,000 for local food pantries. Well for real newsletter news - it has just been announced that for Santa's efforts, she was named a 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community Distinguished Finalist.
Are you a Dokken fan? One of our '1 of 52' fellow members Bob Graham who runs a great org called 'Rockin for Hunger' is staging another great concert event at Twin River Casino and is making our End Hunger Foundation one of the beneficiaries. Thank you Bob! Dokken is the headliner with opening act The Eden Project. We have yet to invite the acts to become 1 of 52 members, however, this show is designated as Bob's 1 of 52 action! Visit their site at www.rockinforhunger.com. Here's info from the Twin River site:
April 9th 2010 - 7:15 pm (Doors at 7pm) - Twin River Event Center, Lincoln, RI
Join us for 'Rockin For Hunger', a great concert that helps those in need!. See The Eden Project open for Dokken! Proceeds benefit the Amos House, Cross Roads Homeless Shelter, 1 of 52 Hunger Network, RI Community Food Bank and The Greater Boston Food Bank. Tickets start at just $25.50! This event is 18+. Support the show!
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0100433EE0E7837B?artistid=734940&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=200?camefrom=CFC_TWINRIVER_com
Save the date: If you will be anywhere in the Southern New England area, join us at the 4th Annual Hunger Awareness Day on the Village Green in South Kingtown, RI from 5-7pm! Full musical line up TBA though, Lori Urso and Marty Richards have confirmed and pending confirmation, we're hoping to have the Westmoreland Street Jammers headline the show again. There will be live music, free pizza from local vendors and more. This event is sponsored by the Hunger Task Force where I serve as your 1 of 52 representative. The HTC is a collaborative effort of the Jonnycake Center of Peace Dale and the Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America at URI. Our goal is to help create hunger free communities.
*The 1 of 52 Hunger Network is poised for rapid expansion through the virtues of social networking. We have a facebook page going and are working toward Twitter, etc. As part of this announcement, we are readying for the 10th Anniversary of our Hunger benefit CD "The Time Is Now". We're planning a 'virtual' digital download re-release of this critically acclaimed project. And though it has been out there for 10 years, we have in no way even 'scratched the surface' of this fantastic compilation featuring John Cafferty with a bonus track by Pete Seeger!
We've also have had some great new additions to our 1 of 52 roster. Please check our site to see our updated roster and upcoming events pages for more information - much more to follow! www.1of52.net
Stay tuned for news from hunger activist Chuck Smith as he criss-crosses the country in the 'No Hunger' bus where he'll be Singing Out For Food in a community near you!
Stay in touch. Peace, Steve
PS: Please visit www.feinsteinfoundation.org to learn details on Alan
Shawn Feinstein's Foundation 13th Annual 2010 Spring Campaign to Fight Hunger.
(Opportunity to participate through April only!)