Local Arts Community Collects a Literal Ton of Food to Support Asbury Park Food Bank in a Single Night

On Saturday night, we celebrated five years of magazines and madness. Born in the midst of a pandemic with a "never say quit" attitude, we debuted #Issue 21 to an absolutely packed house at Wild Air Beerworks on Main Street in Asbury Park, officially kicking off National Poetry Month in a way only this scene knows how to do.

Host Blaise with poet and venue owner Nick Jiorle

With over a hundred heads in attendance, and the people's pop star Blaise as the host, the energy of the room was pure powder keg. Venue owner Nick Jiorle even took over the mic, and we continued to get set after stellar set from Monte Maybe, Boots, Mxtchxll, and S0ulFood, on top of the poetry performances, culminating with the Rapid Fire Royale Round poetry segment, iconically hosted by NJ AMP Alliance board member Sykes Hartmann.

Host of Rapid Fire Royale Round poetry segment, Sykes Hartmann

But the achievement was beyond the art, the music, and the poetry. The crowning acheivement of the night occured when the community came through with roughly 2,000 pounds of food in a single night. That's right, NJ AMP Alliance and NJ Poetry Renaissance came together and raised an actual ton of food donated in a single night. Initially, we had to break our previous record, set in November at The Union Market in Tuckerton, when we called for the community to bring 500lbs of food and they showed up with 1,073lbs. This time around, in support of Mercy Center in Asbury Park, the goal was to break 1,100lbs, and the community almost doubled that.

"It was beyond cool to see so many different artists coming together to make an impact in the community in such a tangible way," says Erin Kirkpatrick, Events Coordinator with Mercy Center, informing us that our event generated enough food to provide over 1,600 meals to our neighbors.

When poets, bands, and artists come together to play or work a circuit, you have a scene. But when friends, fans, and family come through to be part of a community like this, not just to observe, but to directly contribute in a positive way, it's a movement. "Someone bringing one can and adding to the pile of two thousand pounds is like someone being one tiny raindrop and suddenly there's a river," says Damian Rucci, poet and fellow local organizer.

Award winning musician Monte Maybe kicking off the Five Year Canniversary

We wish to thank our sponsors, because we couldn't have done this without them; shoutout to Shore cycling Sports, MOGO, and especially Asbury Sunset for their contributions towards making this incredible event possible. And special shoutout of gratitude to all the volunteers, performers, organizers, and every soul that walked through the doors that night with a can of food to feed their neighbors. When they ask you why we do it, you tell them we do it for the culture.

To purchase your copy of the latest issue, click here.