‘Feed the Need’ Benefit Concert to Support Flathead Food Bank this Weekend
Every dollar raised at the event, which will take place at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Wachholz College Center, will go directly toward helping feed neighbors in the Flathead Valley
By Lauren Frick
The Flathead Food Bank’s fifth-annual Feed the Need Benefit Concert returns to the Wachholz College Center on Saturday with Invasion, a high-energy British rock tribute show, headlining and local favorite Tommy Edwards opening the evening.
Known for high-energy performances, costume changes and a full-scale celebration of the British rock explosion, Invasion brings audiences the music, look and feel of some of the era’s most iconic bands, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, The Yardbirds, The Zombies and more.
The night, however, is about much more than music, Flathead Food Bank Executive Director Chris Sidmore said. For Sidmore, the event offers the community an opportunity to give back to their neighbors across the Flathead Valley with the simple purchase of a ticket.
Every dollar raised through the event will directly support the Flathead Food Bank and its year-round work providing food to children, families and individuals throughout the community.
“What we really preach is that we just want to create a platform for neighbors to help neighbors in need,” Sidmore said. “We just kind of view ourselves as the middle person. That’s what we’re really aiming to create at this event, is that somebody could show up, maybe learn a little bit about the food bank, but more than anything, just say I care about my neighbor. How can I help? As crazy as it sounds, like buy a $20 ticket, have a super fun time, and then that $20, literally every single cent of that will go towards feeding people here.”
The benefit concert also gives the food bank a chance to share its mission with the community and get even more people involved with its variety of year-round opportunities.
“I think a lot of people, when they think about the food bank, they think about our pantry, which thousands of people come to every year,” Sidmore said. “But we have our backpack program, where we send out food to kids on the weekend, where we work with 17 different schools. We have our commodities program that helps out senior citizens … [the food bank] helps a lot of people in a lot of different ways.”
Feed the Need began five years ago with a simple goal: “Bring the Flathead Valley together around great music while raising money for neighbors facing food insecurity.” Since then, the event has grown into one of the Flathead Food Bank’s largest annual fundraisers.
“It’s incredible to see what this community has turned it into,” said Courtenay Sprunger, founder of Feed the Need and CEO of Big Sky Public Relations. “This year, we want people to come ready to sing, dance and make a real difference for local families.”
The annual benefit concert expanded last year with the addition of Toyota as a title sponsor, helping make the event even bigger and bring it to Flathead Valley Community College’s Wachholz Center.
Toyota returns as the title sponsor of Feed the Need, with Town Pump also returning as a major sponsor, providing significant support that helps make the concert and its impact possible.
The upscaled event has translated into even greater fundraising efforts.
Last year, Feed the Need welcomed about 750 attendees to the Wachholz Center and raised more than $183,000 for the Flathead Food Bank, and organizers are looking to build on that momentum again this year.
Increased attendance, and, in turn, increased funds raised has already made a difference at the food bank — namely with the addition of a permanent location in Hungry Horse, which is set to open next month, Sidmore said.
“Thanks to everybody’s generosity last year at the concert, we were able to sign a lease up in Hungry Horse to open up a permanent location,” Sidmore said. “I think that’s really cool because I know sometimes you give to things, and you’re like, ‘man, OK, that was fun. Where did my hard-earned money go?’ I think it’s really cool to be like, ‘look right here.’”
“Thanks to the success of the concert, we’ve been able to do stuff like that, and I think the beauty of it is the more we can raise, the more we can impact the community,” he added.
The Feed the Need Benefit Concert will take place on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Wachholz College Center, 795 Grandview Dr., in Kalispell. Lobby Doors open at 6 p.m., while McClaren Hall doors will open at 6:30 p.m. The concert will run from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are available on the Wachholz Center’s website and are $20 for adults and $12 for youth. Click here to learn more about the concert or purchase tickets.