See GCHS Titan band perform its halftime show, help feed people in need with food drive

It's time for one of the most beneficial competitions of the school year.

Etowah County Food Bank Executive Director Marie Johnson said 22 schools are competing in food drives to collect non-perishable food donations for the bank, which will provide them to four assistance agencies: Salvation Army, Catholic Center for Concern, Etowah Baptist Mission Center and the Love Center.

Make that 23 schools. Johnson said Gadsden City High School band director Chris Benedetti pitched the idea of getting members involved in helping the community by putting on a performance in exchange for food donations or monetary contributions for the food bank, a United Way agency.

That performance will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Titan Stadium. For a donation of $2 or two canned food items, people get the chance to enjoy the band's 2022 halftime show.

"A lot of grandparents might not be able to sit through a whole football game," Johnson said, in order to see the band's performance. This will be a good opportunity for them, she said, and for anyone who wants to see the show one more time — or for the first time — as the football season winds down.

Johnson said it's great to see the band getting involved in the food drive, and credited director Benedetti with encouraging their involvement in a community project.

Already, she said, the food bank and the agencies it provides food to are seeing an increase in need.

"The economy makes a difference," she said.

There are people who need help now who've never had to ask for food assistance before, Johnson explained, and all it takes is a trip to the grocery store to see why.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Titan Band show Thursday benefits Etowah Food Bank