Matt DeCamp and American Rock Band Widespread Panic Have Supported Hunger Task Force For 11 Years
50 Faces. 50 Stories. 50 Years of Fighting Hunger.
Hunger Task Force is proud to be Milwaukee’s only Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, Hunger Task Force is highlighting “50 Faces of Ending Hunger,” honoring the anti-hunger heroes who champion Free & Local and support our mission to end hunger.
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If you’re a rock n’ roll fan, chances are you’ve jammed out to a song or two from Widespread Panic. The ever-so-popular band has broken attendance records across the country and regularly hosts drives to feed families in the communities the band performs in. Since 2008, the band has raised nearly $300,000 to feed children and families in need nationwide.
Widespread Panic is a longstanding supporter of Hunger Task Force and has raised $40,000 dollars since 2013 through its Feeding People Through Music initiative.
“When the band first started touring at the Riverside Theater, I looked for potential community partners to support and Hunger Task Force came up right away,” says Matt DeCamp, senior project manager for Widespread Panic. “The collaboration has been perfect, and we’re honored to help feed Milwaukeeans through music for more than a decade.”
As the band has fundraised to feed those in need nationwide, they’ve learned a thing or two about food insecurity including how organizations like Hunger Task Force can make dollars go further than at the grocery store because they can buy the food they distribute in bulk.
“I don’t think many people know how much purchasing power food banks like Hunger Task Force have,” adds Matt. “Whenever I speak with a fan, they’re surprised just how much value their dollar has. When fans can spare $5 or $10 it really makes a huge difference.”
As part of the band’s support, Matt has connected Hunger Task Force with dozens of band-autographed concert posters—highly sought after by fans—to auction off and help raise money at the annual fund drives. Members of the band have also personally toured Hunger Task Force’s food bank and Farm for a hands-on look at the work they support.
Widespread Panic credits Milwaukee for having some of the best fans and being a true home away from home. The band loves coming back year after year to perform because of the city’s warm, Midwest spirit.
Hunger Task Force is grateful for the generosity of longstanding partners like Widespread Panic who enable us to deliver healthy, emergency food with dignity to people in need in the neighborhood they live in and on the day they need it.
Meet the 50 Faces of Ending Hunger!
Click below to discover real people making a difference in the fight against hunger – new faces added each month! As we journey through our 50th year, keep checking back to meet more incredible individuals making a difference.