Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
OGDEN — Rock band Hinder and Late Night Savior, a Utah band, will perform Saturday at a concert to raise funds to offset student lunch debt in northern Utah schools.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. and will be held at Dee Events Center on the Weber State University campus in Ogden.
"This year has been tough for families, with the Weber School District reporting a 37.6% rise in lunch debt since 2023," the event organizer, Utah Empowerment Initiative, said in a press release.
According to Chicago-based Feeding America, a national network of food banks and pantries and local meal programs, 16.2% of those under 18 in Weber County were deemed to be food insecure in 2022. The figures were 14% in Davis County, 15.1% in Salt Lake County, 13.8% in Utah County, 12.7% in Wasatch County and 13.8% in Tooele County.
The Utah Empowerment Initiative is a nonprofit group formed to help tackle food insecurity. "Having witnessed the devastating effects of school lunch debt on friends and families, board members aim to address this pressing issue," reads a statement from the group.
Candace Parr, child nutrition supervisor for the Weber School District, said lunch debt in the school system began rising after the pandemic. "That just shows that parents are still struggling," she said.
Sometimes the district taps collection services to recoup funds. "I wish there were other things we could do to help these families," she said.
Ticket prices for Saturday's show range from $25 to $40. Proceeds left after cover production, overhead and other costs will be distributed by nonprofit organizations to Utah school districts needing assistance.
Hinder was formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and among its top songs are "Lips of an Angel." Late Night Savior was working this year on its fourth studio album, according to the website for the group.
Contributing: Britt Johnson
