A new student-run organization that aims to connect the music scene to feeding the hungry will begin collecting food Wednesday.
Rock Against Hunger collects canned foods that are then donated to the United Food Bank and, as an incentive, those who donate have a chance to win autographed guitars or concert tickets.
“This event will really allow students to see the importance of donating food and for some they might not know where to donate food,” President Christopher Bradshaw said.
The organization will be collecting food from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Taylor Mall Wednesday.
So far, the six signed guitars from artists have been donated from artists, like Flogging Molly and the Dirty Heads, who played at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre.
Bradshaw, a nutrition senior, came up with the idea for Rock Against Hunger with a friend about a year ago because they were both involved in the music scene and were searching for community service projects, Bradshaw said.
Originally, the organization operated outside of ASU and Bradshaw and his friend collaborated with the Marquee to sponsor the idea.
A year ago, the venue helped to promote their organization at the Authority Zero concert by asking attendees to bring canned food to the concert.
“It was not that difficult,” Bradshaw said. “We just made posters and just littered them at the Tempe campus. A lot of people brought canned food to the concert and we raised a lot of money so we thought let’s keep doing it.”
With positive feedback, both Bradshaw and his friend decided to bring the organization to ASU because they were both students. The two spent the summer researching and setting up the club. Bradshaw’s friend graduated, but he still kept pushing for the club.
Bradshaw said he talked to Lisa Morse from the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion to help promote the idea. She is now the adviser for the organization.
“Professor Morse got me most excited about Rock Against Hunger. As a senior I’m applying for graduate school and I was looking to get more involved and she suggested the idea to me,” Vice President Janessa Faust said.
Information about the organization got out quickly to other students, and before long Rock Against Hunger had four officers and 40 members.
“I was looking for something to get more involved in the community and I am really into music, so it was the perfect mix of music and helping the community,” secretary Kayla Anderson said.
In the future, Bradshaw hopes to have more food drives and put donation boxes also in local businesses.
“Our organization brings awareness, can motivate and even inspire people by donating food it allows students and the community to be involved and be a part of something that can be really big,” Bradshaw said.
Contact the reporter at mbever@asu.edu
