Groups team up to help feed music industry workers in Minnesota
Crews pack food for music industry workers in need during the pandemic.
(FOX 9) - We’re six months into the pandemic, and the music industry is still silent - no concerts, no tours – challenging thousands of workers across the country.
Now, a group of roadies is stepping in to help Minnesota’s community get by.
Steve Drymalski is a roadie without band. Right now, he’d be on the road with Pearl Jam. Instead, he’s staging a food distribution site for fellow roadies and music venue workers who are too often out of the spotlight.
“Not a lot of people are aware that so many people are out of work,” he said.
That’s why Loaves and Fishes teamed up with First Avenue and organizations such as Musically Fed and Just a Bunch of Roadies to hand out food to fellow workers like Jake Jarpey.
“It’s been hard both financially and emotionally because I just love my job and I love doing what I’m doing,” Jarpey said.
All of the food from 10 different Minnesota partner organizations should provide enough meals for a week.
“It’s been amazing to see. The people know each other…they all work together and they’re supporting each other,” said Cathy Maes, Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes.
Back in July, Loaves and Fishes sent two truckloads of food down to Nashville to help feed music industry workers there, too. The drive-thru distribution in Nashville handed out 22,000 meals.
“Nashville, because of the tornado and the pandemic and then a storm…they needed food. So, we actually helped out the whole community,” said Maria Brunner with Musically Fed.
Now, all of the organizations teamed up to deliver food to those in need.