MLF Thanksgiving Feast

A few weeks ago, one of our partners, Mobile Loaves & Fishes, hosted a Thanksgiving Feast for Austin’s homeless community.  Jack Allen’s Kitchen provided the amazing food, and Music For The City provided the entertainment.  Over 400 people in need were given an evening of dignity, including a hot meal, friendly service, hygiene supplies, clothes, and GREAT MUSIC!

14 Austin artists representing 6 Austin bands came out to play…Brennen Leigh & Noel Mckay, Chris Hawkes & Miranda Dawn, The Canvas Waiting, The Reliques, The Jack Burton Trio, and Gina Chavez.  These artists gave their time and talent to our homeless community, and the JOY that resulted–on both sides of the microphone–was incredible!

We’re looking forward to serving with Mobile Loaves again on December 20 for their Christmas Feast.

until next time…

lamar

MUSIC FOR THE CITY

Gina cha-cha-Chavez and Mobile Loaves & Fishes

Friday, June 17

Ohhhhhh man.  Tonight was one of those nights that I just drove home smiling.  I went to a Mobile Loaves & Fishes benefit dinner…and immediately came home and had to write about it.  What an amazing evening!  Mobile Loaves & Fishes (who MFTC’s next album will support) is this absolutely incredible organization that provides food, clothing and dignity to our homeless brothers and sisters.  They recently started the Karpophoreo Project  which builds community and provides employment to formerly homeless persons.  How do they do this, you may ask?  By growing organic, sustainable food for themselves as well as the MLF trucks, which go out nightly for “truck runs” with volunteers from all walks of life.  How cool is that?!  The centerpieces on the tables were delicious vegetables grown from their gardens…I was tempted to swipe a huge green bell pepper to take home.  Another MLF project is Community First!  This program confronts homelessness by providing permanent, sustainable and affordable housing AND the support system needed to heal from the scars of living on the streets.  We actually got to go inside one of the RV’s that will be given to someone in the next week.  It was nice and homey, with little laminated phrases like “Home is a cool glass of milk from the fridge” and “Home is a place to have a friend over for coffee” stuck on the freezer or in a frame on the kitchen counter.  Later, we heard from a young family who was homeless just a few years ago and have experienced radical transformation by being connected to MLF (before they came on stage to tell their story, I had seen the wife walking around and was drawn to the pure joy I saw in her)…they just had their first baby 10 months ago and she is a DOLL.

So now that you know all about Mobile Loaves & Fishes…let me gush about Gina Chavez for a minute, folks.  She is a musician that MFTC really loves and was the music entertainment for the dinner.  Her songs were the perfect soundtrack to the evening, here are a few reasons why: She has a heart for the homeless and has written some beautiful songs for and about them.  She is a natural on stage and has this intriguing Latin flair to a lot of her songs because of the time she’s spent in South America.  Many of her songs required a little audience participation…let’s just say, everyone tried, but they just couldn’t get the rhythm! Gotta love it. Meeting Gina and her family was definitely a highlight of the evening, and the crowd loved her.

Did I mention the food?  Prime rib, chicken kabobs, fresh green beans and a wonderful summer salad.  This college gal was in HEAVEN. You don’t even want me to start describing the lemon bars for dessert.

All in all, it was a beyond-wonderful, story-telling evening with the warmest and most welcoming people you’ll ever meet.  Good food, great cause and great music–just what Music For The City loves.

Makenzie Magnus, MFTC Intern

A Day of Dignity

On Saturday, April 2, a group of students from St. Edward’s University partnered with Mobile Loaves and Fishes and St. Ignatius Catholic Church to provide a day of dignity for Austin’s homeless community.  They called the event REACH OUT.  Music For The City was honored, humbled and excited to be a part of this event.

The morning was beautiful.  Not just because of the perfect Texas spring weather, but there was a beautiful spirit of love, kindness and gratitude in the air.  The day was designed to not only provide for some basic needs, but also to bring a little dignity and self-worth to a population that is pushed to the margins of society.  Over 250 of our homeless brothers and sisters were given the opportunity to shop for some new clothes, get a hot shower, get a medical exam, a haircut, a massage, a foot bath, and enjoy a good meal…and some live music, of course.  I mean, this IS Austin.

That’s where we came in.  We set up a sound system in the parking lot, and local artists Jason Poe, Tara Craig, Gina Chavez, Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay, and myself shared our humble tunes with an endearing and grateful audience.  It was beautiful to see hardened faces overwhelmed by smiles as simple melodies began to break down barriers.  And you could almost feel the songs taking on more meaning than they ever had before.

Jason Poe

Brennen Leigh & Noel McKay

I walked away from the event with a new respect for a group of people that get very little respect.  I walked away from the event with a head full of names to faces that generally go nameless.  I walked away from the event with a torn heart, wondering what more I can do.

It was a day of dignity for Austin’s homeless community, and a day of awareness for me.

until next time…

Lamar Stockton

MUSIC FOR THE CITY