The Philadelphia Orchestra Holds Second Annual Food Drive

The Philadelphia Orchestra needs your help feeding our hungry neighbors in the Delaware Valley! As part of the National Orchestras Feeding America Food Drive 2010, the Orchestra will be collecting non-perishable canned goods at the Kimmel Center one hour prior to the Orchestra's concerts on March 4-6, 11-13, and 16. All food donations collected at these performances will be generously matched by the Campbell Soup Company. All food will be donated to Philabundance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley. As a special thank you for participating in the 2010 Food Drive, all patrons who donate food will be entered to win a subscription to the Orchestra's 2010-11 Beyond the Score series.

In support of the food drive, The Philadelphia Orchestra is offering $21 tickets to the selected concerts with a donation of food. These special tickets can only be purchased at the Kimmel Center Box Office on March 4-6, 11-13, and 16, beginning at 7:00 PM each evening. The donated food item must be presented at the time of purchase. All tickets are subject to availability.

"With our second annual food drive, The Philadelphia Orchestra strives to fill the shelves of local food pantries and raise awareness about hunger in our community," said Philadelphia Orchestra President and CEO Allison Vulgamore. "It is humbling for us all to know that so many of neighbors are struggling to feed their families. We are incredibly grateful to Campbell's Soup for pledging to match one-for-one the donations we collect as part of this food drive. The Orchestra is committed to maintaining and strengthening our relationships with this great community, which has supported us for more than 100 years."

To date, 128 orchestras are participating in Orchestras Feeding America, and the number of participants is growing daily. Most orchestras will conduct their food drives during the month of March, but dates may vary locally. The project is organized by the League of American Orchestras, which represents the nation's professional, volunteer, and youth orchestras, and Feeding America's network of over 200 food banks and 63,000 agencies. In 2009 250 orchestras in all 50 states collected more than 200,000 pounds of food.

49.1 million Americans of which 16.7 million were children lived in food insecure households in 2008, according to the most recent USDA study. Each week, approximately 5.7 million people receive emergency food assistance from an agency served by a Feeding America member. This is a 27 percent increase over numbers reported in Hunger in America 2006, which reported that 4.5 million people were served each week.

About Our Partners

Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup, baked snacks, and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including "Campbell's," "Pepperidge Farm," "Arnott's," and "V8." For more information on the company, visit Campbell's website at www.campbellsoup.com.

Philabundance is the region's largest hunger relief organization fighting hunger and malnutrition in the Delaware Valley. Philabundance provides a full plate of services to close to 500 member agencies in 9 counties, who serve approximately 900,000 low income residents. Philabundance provides food to approximately 65,000 people per week, at an aggregate cost of less than 30 cents per meal. In 2009, Philabundance, distributed 17 million pounds of food in the Delaware Valley. For more information about Philabundance, call 215-339-0900 or visit www.philabundance.org.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Founded in 1900, The Philadelphia Orchestra has distinguished itself as one of the leading orchestras in the world through a century of acclaimed performances, historic international tours, best-selling recordings, and its unprecedented record of innovation in recording technologies and outreach. The Orchestra has maintained unity in artistic leadership with only seven music directors throughout its history: Fritz Scheel (1900-07), Carl Pohlig (1907-12), Leopold Stokowski (1912-41), Eugene Ormandy (1936-80), Riccardo Muti (1980-92), Wolfgang Sawallisch (1993-2003), and Christoph Eschenbach (2003-08).

This rich tradition is carried on by Chief Conductor Charles Dutoit. Mr. Dutoit has a long-standing relationship with the Orchestra, having made his debut with the ensemble in 1980. Highlights of his second season include performances of Berlioz's Te Deum and Symphonie fantastique, part of Mr. Dutoit's four-year focus on the works of that composer, and a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Samuel Barber's birthday. During his tenure, Mr. Dutoit will also showcase the music of the Ballets Russes, continuing in the 2009-10 season with performances of Stravinsky's Petrushka and The Rite of Spring.

The Philadelphia Orchestra annually touches the lives of more than one million music lovers worldwide through its performances, publications, recordings, and broadcasts. Each year the Orchestra presents a subscription season in Philadelphia, education and community partnership programs, regular appearances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center, and a three-week tour. Its summer schedule includes performances at Philadelphia's Mann Center for the Performing Arts, free Neighborhood Concerts, and residencies at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.

For more information on The Philadelphia Orchestra, please visit www.philorch.org.

 

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