APPLETON (NBC 26) — Street Music Week in Appleton kicks off on Monday. This year's fundraising goal is $10,000.
- Street Music Week, which first began in Spokane, Washington, retuns to Appleton for the 12th year
- Musicians volunteer their time to play along College Ave. collecting donations for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
- Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin President and CEO Patti Habeck says because federal and state aid programs have expired or slowed down since the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization is seeing an increased need for food
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details for the web.)
If you've seen orange buckets lining College Ave., it's because Street Music Week in Appleton kicks off Monday.
For the 12th year, musicians will volunteer their time playing for donations. That money will benefit Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
The goal is to raise more than $10,000.
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin President and CEO Patti Habeck says just one dollar can buy four meals. She says they currently serve about 550,000 people, and that number matches what they saw during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Right now the need is so significant," said Habeck. "But, it just is kind of hidden. It was more prevalent during COVID. But, right now, that need is just extraordinary."
"It really does make our downtown come alive to just have everybody making music and people finding the different ways that they can share their talents, their gifts, to give to others," Heid Music Company President Dede Heid said at the fundraiser's kickoff event at Houdini Plaza.
Heid says musicians wanting to participate can visit the Heid Music store on College Ave. There, you can get a bucket and start playing to collect donations.
