Strangers Helping Strangers
Encyclopedia
Strangers Helping Strangers is a non-profit organization of music fans dedicated to holding food drives at concerts throughout the nation, benefiting those in need in each community an event is held.
The origins of Strangers Helping Strangers (SHS) dates back to late 1997, when fans of the Burlington, Vermont
-based band Strangefolk
saw an opportunity to help those less fortunate by collecting non-perishable food at various Strangefolk concerts throughout the Northeast USA and donating it to food bank
s and charities in the cities and towns Strangefolk played. The first official food drive was held in 1998, and since then SHS has collected items for charities all over the country. In addition to working closely with Strangefolk, SHS has expanded over the years to work with hundreds other bands such as the Assembly of Dust
, Dark Star Orchestra
, moe.
, Max Creek
, Zen Tricksters
, Scarecrow Collection, U-Melt, Rev Tor Band, and many more. SHS offers incentives and prizes to those who donate at their events, including live CD’s, merchandise, tickets to future concerts and much more.
SHS began with a volunteer group of five individuals and has grown to its current level. Today, SHS has a volunteer core of nearly thirty official volunteers, in addition to many friends and family members who help the organization in multiple ways.
The origins of Strangers Helping Strangers (SHS) dates back to late 1997, when fans of the Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
-based band Strangefolk
Strangefolk
Strangefolk is a rock-oriented jam band originally from Burlington, VT. Since forming in 1991, they have released five studio albums, two live albums and one live concert DVD...
saw an opportunity to help those less fortunate by collecting non-perishable food at various Strangefolk concerts throughout the Northeast USA and donating it to food bank
Food bank
A food bank or foodbank is a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes mostly donated food to a wide variety of agencies that in turn feed the hungry. The largest sources of food are for-profit growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers who in the normal course of business have...
s and charities in the cities and towns Strangefolk played. The first official food drive was held in 1998, and since then SHS has collected items for charities all over the country. In addition to working closely with Strangefolk, SHS has expanded over the years to work with hundreds other bands such as the Assembly of Dust
Assembly of Dust
Assembly of Dust is a rock band formed in 2002 by former Strangefolk frontman Reid Genauer. Genauer formed the band while enrolled in the MBA program at Cornell University...
, Dark Star Orchestra
Dark Star Orchestra
-References:* at the Internet Archive* - John Kadlecik's official website & personal pages**-External links:* , official website of Dark Star Orchestra* , official website of Dino English...
, moe.
Moe.
moe. is an American jam band, formed at the University at Buffalo in 1989. The band members are: Rob Derhak , Al Schnier , Chuck Garvey , Vinnie Amico , and Jim Loughlin ....
, Max Creek
Max Creek
Max Creek is an American rock band that was formed by Dave Reed, John Rider and Bob Gosselin in 1971. Scott Murawski, then aged 15, joined the band in the spring of 1972. Murawski left after two months, but returned in 1973. Mark Mercier the keyboardist joined in January 1973. Dave Reed left the...
, Zen Tricksters
Zen Tricksters
The Zen Tricksters are an American Grateful Dead cover band.For almost thirty years, the Zen Tricksters have been playing Grateful Dead covers and jam band music, as well as derivative original songs.. The band started out as the Volunteers, playing small venues around New York's Long Island...
, Scarecrow Collection, U-Melt, Rev Tor Band, and many more. SHS offers incentives and prizes to those who donate at their events, including live CD’s, merchandise, tickets to future concerts and much more.
SHS began with a volunteer group of five individuals and has grown to its current level. Today, SHS has a volunteer core of nearly thirty official volunteers, in addition to many friends and family members who help the organization in multiple ways.