63,000 pounds of food collected! Summerfest attendees help fight hunger in southeastern Wisconsin

Bring three, get in free! Summerfest attendees help fight hunger in southeastern Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE -- It was an opportunity to help the hungry in southeastern Wisconsin -- while also getting into Summerfest for FREE on Opening Day Wednesday, June 29th. FOX6 News teamed up with the Hunger Task Force and Johnson Controls for the 25th annual "Stomp Out Hunger" initiative.

"We love 'Stomp Out Hunger Day.' It`s 25 years of helping to solve hunger in Milwaukee through this promotion, so Johnson Controls, FOX6, the Hunger Task Force, all great partners making it all happen," Sarah Pancheri, VP of sales and marketing for Summerfest said.

Stomp Out Hunger at Summerfest

All you had to do was bring in three non-perishable food items in order to receive a free ticket to the Big Gig.

"I'm feeding the kids. The kids gotta eat, just like we gotta eat. They gotta be healthy," Angelina Bailey said as she made her donation.

Stomp Out Hunger at Summerfest

"People caught on to the idea that they could get in for free, and now people plan for it," Sherrie Tussler, executive director of the Hunger Task Force said.

Sherrie Tussler

Tussler said in 2015, the Stomp Out Hunger initiative generated 56,000 pounds of food -- putting the total amount of food donated during the past 11 years at 660,000 pounds.

"I have friends who run food banks in other states. They never heard of anything like this. They wouldn`t even dream of connecting themselves to their local entertainment venue -- and this is just such a winner in Milwaukee," Tussler said.

Stomp Out Hunger at Summerfest

Tussler said August is the month of greatest need in southeastern Wisconsin.

Hunger Task Force officials tell FOX6 News 63,000 pounds of food was collected at Summerfest during this Stomp Out Hunger initiative. That's 8,000 pounds more than in 2015.

If you weren't able to take part in the Stomp Out Hunger initiative at Summerfest Wednesday -- but you're interested in supporting the Hunger Task Force, you can do so online by CLICKING HERE.