Community Engagement > Orchestras Feeding America

Orchestras Feeding America

READING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS
Star Spangled Spectacular - A Free Community Concert sponsored by WELLS FARGO

The RSO joins ORCHESTRAS FEEDING AMERICA to benefit the GREATER BERKS FOOD BANK Audience and Community Member are invited to drop off can goods on July 4, 2011 at First Energy Stadium

Reading Symphony Orchestra will participate in Orchestras Feeding America, an annual food drive by America’s symphony orchestras. RSO’s musicians, staff members and volunteers will collect non-perishable food at the concert on July 4, 2011 between 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. at the stadium main gate. The food will be donated to the Greater Berks Food Bank. For information about the types of food that can be accepted go to www.readingsymphony.org.

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Hunger Facts
In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for 1 in 6 Americans, hunger is a reality. Many people believe that the problems associated with hunger are confined to small pockets of society, certain areas of the country, or certain neighborhoods, but the reality is much different.

Right now, millions of Americans are struggling with hunger. These are often hard-working adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals, or even days.

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Orchestras have come together to combat hunger in their communities through Orchestras Feeding America, and the number of participants is growing daily. The project will take place throughout the Spring and Summer, and 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. The drive was inspired by the true story of the film The Soloist.

Reading Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest continuously-running orchestra in the nation, now completing its 98th season. The mission of the RSO is to provide high quality symphonic music to the residents of Reading and Berks County through classical and pops concerts, performances for students, youth orchestra and educational outreach.

The Orchestra performs six classical concerts annually in the Sovereign Performing Arts Center as well a Pops concert and a New Year’s Eve, “The Nutcracker” ballet in conjunction with Berks Ballet Theatre, Discovery concerts for 6000 students annually.

The Youth Orchestra program, now in its 22 year operates two orchestras with 180 participants spanning grades 4 through 12. Education outreach occurs through various events like “Know Your Symphony” discussions, “Music in the Making” free-to-the-public Saturday rehearsals, and RSOvertures, pre-concert audience dialogues.