Philadelphia musicians serve dinner and a show with holiday food drive
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- "Raw, organic, in your face." This description perhaps relates best to food, but is instead how Hiruy Tirfe describes fellow Philadelphia musicians.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic cutting the cord on concerts and community gatherings, musicians across the world have suffered emotionally and financially.
"We're not the only people that have taken a loss, you know, there's other people struggling for food," said Tirfe. "So, we just want to give and it brings us as a community much closer than before."
Tirfe is a saxophonist with "Snacktime," a new Philadelphia-based brass band that plays free concerts on weekends in public places like Rittenhouse Square. The band partnered with "Everybody Eats Philadelphia" to host today's food drive, in which musicians gave back to their community. Both organizations were founded during and in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"What I've been trying to do for the better part of the pandemic is safely give people something to listen to and to have a good time," said Sam Gellerstein, bandleader of Snacktime. "I think nourishment for the soul is just as important as nourishment for the body."
Gellerstein rounded up his best friends and band members to play the soundtrack for today's toy, coat and food drive. It was a holiday-inspired event that drew a smiling crowd at Clark Park.
"People needed food, they need the access, they need the love, they needed a hug, so, we decided to do these food drives to take care of the communities," said Kurt Evans, co-founder of Everybody Eats Philly.
Evans, a chef who grew up just blocks away from Clark Park, was excited to see so many different people enjoying themselves.
Everybody Eats Philly hosts bi-weekly food giveaways throughout the city.
For more information on Snacktime or Everybody Eats Philly, visit their websites.
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