News Release

BLUES for KATRINA raises $125, 000 for Gulf Coast hurricane relief

PORTLAND , Ore. (Sept. 27, 2005) – Oregonians opened their hearts and their wallets and contributed $125,000 for Gulf Coast hurricane relief at BLUES for KATRINA, presented by the Waterfront Blues Festival, Sunday, Sept. 25.

One-hundred percent of donations at BLUES for KATRINA will enable America ’s Second Harvest to move 44 truckloads of donated food and groceries – the equivalent of more than 1.3-million meals – to the areas affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

“BLUES for KATRINA was an amazing success on all levels,” said Lisa Wiebe, director of development for Oregon Food Bank. “The weather was wonderful. The music was spectacular. And our community was so generous. So many people stepped forward to help.”

Children contributed their allowance. Boaters raised more than $2,000. First Tech Credit Union pledged an additional $10,000. Food vendors contributed net proceeds. The City of Portland donated Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the day. More than 400 volunteers contributed their time. And major and supporting sponsors stepped up in a big way to cover costs to enable all admission and donations to go to hurricane relief.

“The outpouring caring and support was unbelievable,” says Wiebe. “Oregon Food Bank sends a special thank you to Clay Fuller, waterfront blues festival coordinator, and Peter Dammann, waterfront blues talent coordinator, who volunteered their expertise and hundreds of hours to pull this event together in just a few short weeks.”

New Orleans artists – some who have moved to Oregon, some who are hurricane evacuees, some who flew to Oregon from the Gulf Coast – joined with the Northwest’s top musicians to help raise funds for Gulf Coast hurricane relief and recovery.

“Until a couple of weeks ago, New Orleans had one of the most dynamic, energized regional music scenes on the planet,” said Dammann. “Today, its musicians have lost their homes and have scattered across the country to take refuge with friends and family.”

“The need is tremendous and will continue over the next several years as people work to rebuild their devastated communities, homes and businesses,” said Wiebe.

America ’s Second Harvest

Oregon Food Bank is a member of America’s Second Harvest – the nation’s food bank network, the largest domestic hunger-relief agency and the network other organizations such as National Volunteers Active in Disaster (NOVAD) rely on to collect and transport food and to set up food warehouses in regions affected by emergencies.

America ’s Second Harvest fully honors donor intent. Funds collected for hurricane relief and recovery operations will be used specifically toward that end. Amercia’s Second Harvest will send food and grocery products to locations where hurricane survivors of either storm are finding shelter.

Since Hurricane Katrina first hit the Gulf Coast, America’s Second Harvest Network has moved 1,000 truckloads – more than 32-million pounds of food and grocery products – three times as much as it normally moves – into the region. More than 30 network members in eight states in the Gulf Coast and surrounding region are responding to the increased need for food as evacuees arrive in their cities.

Oregon Food Bank thanks the following sponsors for their generosity:

Major sponsors: First Tech Credit Union, The Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, The Oregonian, Oregon Food Bank, KINK fm102, Rejuvenation and Safeway.

Supporting sponsors: Alpenrose, Barbur Blvd Rentals, Bridgeview Vineyards and Winery, Carlton Farms, Century Catering, City of Portland, Columbia Distributing, Comcast, Costco, Peter Dammann, Duck Pond Cellars, EDGE design, Food Services of America, Foster Farms, Frito Lay, Fuller Promotion, Horne Audio, Gary Houston Design, Heiberg Garbage, Hollywood Lights, HSBC, KGW Northwest NewsChannel 8, King Estate/Young’s Columbia, La Vazza Coffee, Lago di Merlo Vineyards and Winery, Morasch’s Quality Meats, Newman’s Fish Co., OregonLive.com, Pacific Coast Fruit Co., Pacific Seafood Group, Pepsi Bottling Group, Portland Paper & Supply, Premier Press, Reser’s Fine Foods, Rex Hill Vineyards, Ruby Jewel Treats, Stages Northwest, Sysco of Portland, Viande Meats, Western Boxed Meats, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Witham & Dickey, xpedx Paper & Graphics Store.

Oregon Food Bank is a nonprofit, charitable organization. Oregon Food Bank distributes donated food throughout a statewide network of more than 870 nonprofit, hunger-relief agencies serving Oregon and Clark County , Wash. , and works to eliminate the root causes of hunger through education and advocacy.

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