The Fresno Teachers Association has a rock ‘n roll solution for several conundrums: How to raise money to help feed people and support local restaurants during the COVID-19 outbreak, and what are we going to do for entertainment on Saturday night since we can’t leave our houses?
FTA is hosting a “Stay-at-Home Concert” featuring 40-Watt Hype that airs live from the CMAC studio in downtown Fresno starting at 7 p.m.
The free one-hour concert will livestream on the FTA Facebook page: Facebook.com/FresnoTA.
Union Commits $10,000
The FTA is donating $10,000 and is hoping for at least an equal amount in community contributions.
FTA President Manuel Bonilla told GV Wire that the money raised will help feed the more impoverished members of the community, and also support local businesses.
“We’re all in this together,” he said. “We’re just trying to do our part to help out the students and families within our district.”
One idea is using the funds to buy grab-and-go dinner meals at local restaurants to augment what Fresno Unified School district already is doing to feed the community with breakfast and lunch meals, Bonilla said. Some money might also go to food banks.
How To Donate
Contributions can be made at Go Fund Me: (gofundme.com/f/FresnoConcert), Cash App ($fresnoteachers), and Venmo (@fresnoteachers).
Providing food for the community is especially needed now during the COVID-19 pandemic, when so many people have been put out of work because of business closures and the state’s stay-at-home order, Bonilla said.
The teachers union also is asking concert viewers to order grab-and-go meals at local eateries and enjoy them while watching Saturday’s concert.
40-Watt Hype, which was supposed to perform as a headliner at FresYes, includes a teacher among the musicians, Bonilla said.
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email
