Our Goal

We are asking and inviting you to join us with other Musicians, Artists, Managers, Agents, Record labels, Organizations, and Individuals in 2008 for a National Hunger Awareness event "Singing Out For Food". Our goal is to unite our energies, singing out on the same day from venues across the country in an effort to spread awareness for the increasing need of food, while raising funds, and canned/non-perishable food donations. This will help replenish the food agencies in our communities that feed our hungry people. By joining together in 2008, our voices will not only be heard in the communities where we will be singing out from, but will be heard in other parts of the world as a direct result of our uniting, in concert- "Singing Out For Food".


About the director

Music Bio:

Chakulla (Chuck) Smith
(World Folk- Pulse Artist)

At the age of 14, he was inspired to be a musician when he met Rusty Jones who was hummin' and strummin' his guitar in the front seat of a 57 Chevy. Since then he has shared his music with audiences everywhere from in the streets to concert events with over 60,000 people. The songs he writes have messages such as "Children learn from what we do", "Share a smile instead of a frown", and "we are all unique, valuable, and we are individuals". He has a voice that breathes of rhyme and reason, which is alive with memorable melodies and a touch of vocal percussion. With the rhythms pulsating though him from around the world, his distinct guitar style includes fat tunings, while at other times the simplicity of one note is heard. Chuck has taken on the name Chakulla (which in Swahili means Food) and whether he's singing out with Clint Partridge, "Spirit of Bethel Records", with his group "FOOD" ( a stew pot of musicians from all over the world), or by himself, he has a profound affect on all who hear him. Chakulla is available for Concert, House, and Club events to aid in increasing hunger awareness and helping our hungry people.

For booking information throughout the U.S.
Contact:   Chakulla Music
5796 Holiday Park Blvd.
North Port, Fl 34287
(401)829-8326
chakullamusic@yahoo.com


Humanitarian, Hunger Activist:

Chakulla (Chuck) Smith was born in Hartford, Conn. on April 14th 1955 and grew up in the small seaport village of Wickford, Rhode Island. In 1971, with his Father and Mother, joined and became one of the first Peace Corps families, which served in Malawi, Africa, and in Nairobi, Kenya (East Africa). While living in Kenya, he attended Nairobi International School (N.I.S.U.S.). The ideals from his family and living in Africa instilled the importance of helping others and the difference it can make in peoples lives. He has seen the affects of malnutrition and hunger in people's lives first hand. When he returned to the States, he became aware of the need for social consciousness in his hometown. He organized the Gala 4th of July Community Festival which he ran the event for 8 years. At that time he also started his own musical career. In 1986 he organized his first Hunger concert event to benefit Local and World Hunger staged at the University of Rhode Island, and in 1995 he started "For Food" Inc. which later became "Singing Out For Food".org. (singingoutforfood.org) He has attended Vermont College studying early Child Development (C.D.A.), and co-owned a Home Daycare for approximately 7 years. He has produced and co-produced television and radio programs dealing with issues including hunger. He has been a valuable asset in helping to lay down the foundations for the now successful and growing, locally founded, Rhode Island based, Artist Hunger Network, which is a grassroots network of national and local artists, dedicated to ending hunger via the arts. He also has been very active and supportive in other local, regional, and national food agencies that include the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, Rhode Islander's for a Hunger Free State, the Feinstein Foundation, America's Second Harvest, The Hunger Awareness Coalition, The Harry Chapin Food Banks, World Hunger Year, etc... He is also affiliated with many other organizations that are helping to make a difference in our world. He believes "that to make a change, the change first begins within our selves".


Singing Out for Food

Our mission is to stage events, and activities to raise funds for charitable purposes; to promote and support other non-profit charitable food organizations; to educate people and increase hunger awareness; to increase people's awareness of the need to replenish food agencies with food and supplies; to raise funds for and distribute funds to food banks, food panties, and soup kitchens; and to open the door of opportunity for individuals from all walks of life, Musicians, and all the Arts communities, businesses, and organizations to join in singing out for food. "Harmony in a Hungry World"

Singing Out for Food
c/o Balsalmo Associates, Inc.
1050 Main Street
East Greenwich, Rhode Island 02818
Phone: (401) 829-8326


Links:

The Hunger Site - to give free food- plus
http://www.thehungersite.com

The Feinstein foundation- $ Million Dollar challenge throughout America in March/April
http://www.feinsteinfoundation.com/

World Hunger Year- (WHY) to help you help others, offering information and programs (started by Harry Chapin and Bill Ayres)
http://www.worldhungeryear.org/default.asp

Artist Against Hunger and Poverty- A WHY program that enlists performing artists to help raise funds and awareness
http://www.worldhungeryear.org/programs/ahap.asp

Artist Hunger Network- Grassroots network of national and local artists dedicated to ending hunger via the Arts
http://members.aol.com/hungerzero/

Americas Second Harvest- the Nations largest hunger relief organization
http://www.secondharvest.org/

The Harry Chapin Food Banks- serves 5 counties and over 160 agencies in Florida
http://www.harrychapinfoodbank.org/bank.htm

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank- Finds solutions toward the elimination of hunger in RI. Provides food for 590 member agency programs
http://www.rifoodbank.org/index.html