DTD House of Blues and Second Harvest Partner with Anaheim School District to Feed 650

DTD House of Blues and Second Harvest Partner with Anaheim School District to Feed 650

 

Students and Families Benefit from Thanksgiving Generosity
House of Blues and Second Harvest partner with District to feed 650

(November 10, 2011) Through the generosity of the House of Blues and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, 650 students and family members will enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal on November 24 from 10 am to 1 pm at the House of Blues, Downtown Disney. The recipients, who were selected by Anaheim City School District staff, are considered homeless, in that they lack regular nighttime accommodations or live in shelters, motels, shared housing or public places.  

These children and their families are served through the District’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, which requires districts to eliminate barriers that homeless children may face in attaining an education.  The need for food is especially critical for this population during the holidays.

“It is important to these students and families to experience the same joy of their peers and members of our community enjoy during the holidays,” commented Anaheim City Superintendent Jose Banda. “Because of community-minded businesses like the House of Blues and the incredible service of Second Harvest, these families will celebrate Thanksgiving with a delicious meal.”

The House of Blues is providing the venue to host 650 people by arranging three seatings at 10 am, 11:30 am, and 1 pm. They are also providing the kitchen staff and servers to prepare and serve the meal.  Through the efforts of Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, much of the food – including approximately 70 turkeys is being delivered to the restaurant a week before the event in order to prepare and season the dishes. Both organizations are also recruiting volunteers to staff the Thanksgiving meal.  To complete the holiday festivities for these families, House of Blues is also sponsoring musical entertainment throughout the three meal times.

The House of Blues has a strong history of contributing to the community, and this Thanksgiving Meal is a tradition that started at the original venue in 1992.  Other California sites, including Los Angeles and San Diego, have hosted several families and individuals in need for the holidays.

“For the first time in the 10 year history of the House of Blues in Anaheim we are excited to be able to partner with Second Harvest and the Anaheim School District to bring not only great food and great music to those in our community but also good cheer and happiness for the holiday season,” said General Manger Matt Parsons.  “Giving back to our community is an important part of our history and culture at The House of Blues, and we are proud to be a part of this important event.”

Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of the community or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different. Those at-risk of hunger are often hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food in order to meet other expenses. . Particularly in the wake of the recession, too many people have to make the choice between high rents, rising medical costs, and putting food on the table.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is also proud to be a part of this important holiday effort.

In Orange County, Second Harvest estimates that 615,000, or 1 in 5, OC residents are currently at risk of missing meals in a given month. With a 42% increase in demand for food since 2008, Second Harvest now serves about 240,000 people every month – but there are still many more not being reached

“Thanksgiving is a time to come together and celebrate with loved ones. Everyone deserves that opportunity, and we’re here to make sure that nobody has to miss the Thanksgiving meal just because times are tight,” says Joe Schoeningh, Director of Second Harvest. “We’re grateful to House of Blues, Anaheim Schools, and our generous donors for coming together to share the abundance in our community.”

Superintendent Banda is grateful to the House of Blues and Second Harvest for assisting Anaheim City School District families.  He said that without their efforts many of the District’s students and families would not have a hot meal over the Thanksgiving Break.  He hopes that the efforts of these two organizations will serve as an example for other groups and individuals to find ways to support public education. 

About Anaheim City School District – We are a diverse family of 24 schools, serving 19,300 K-6 students in a dynamic, standards-based learning community.  As one of the largest elementary school districts in California, we offer a broad range of programs and learning opportunities, enhanced by strong support from families and the community

About House of Blues - Founded in 1992, The 13 House of Blues are located throughout the United States and form the country’s pre-eminent group of intimate music venues.  Each features state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology in one-of-a-kind custom designed environments aimed to bring fans as close as possible to the artists.  Every location’s restaurant and bar is adorned with signature original folk-art – part of the world’s largest collection – combined with the House of Blues legendary hospitality and tantalizing cuisine.

About Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County - Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is working to eliminate hunger in Orange County. Through a network of nearly 500 local member nonprofits, the Food Bank distributes over 16 million pounds of nutritious food to our neighbors in need every year. For every $1 donated, 94.6 cents goes directly to our food programs. To learn more about our work in the community – and how you can help – please see FeedOC.org.

-- Posted November 11, 2011