Blues Fest to aid Meals on Wheels, Jeremy Wilson Foundation

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — This year's Waterfront Blues Fest will benefit two non-profits that help a lot of people in the community — Meals on Wheels People and the Jeremy Wilson Foundation — splitting proceeds from a raffle.

Volunteers and employees at Meals on Wheels People are busier than ever packing meals to be delivered to seniors in need. The demand is increasing.

"More than half of those we serve live on less than $20,000 a year, so they're always working on what can I live on, can I keep my house, cool my house, food, medicine," Meals on Wheels People CEO Suzanne Washington told KOIN 6 News.

The Jeremy Wilson Foundation, which helps musicians with health care costs, is also seeing a rise in need.

"We've helped more musicians this year, and incrementally over the last few years and that need keeps growing," said the foundation's Sarah Lonigro. "So we're trying to raise some more funds and give away some more grants for our recipients."

This year, the proceeds from a raffle with some big prizes will be equally split between the two non-profits.

"There's airline tickets anywhere with Alaska Air, concert tickets, the packages are focused on an experience," Lonigro said.

Raffle tickets are $40 each and on sale now. You don't need to attend the Blues Fest to buy a ticket.

While fundraising is important to both non-profits, they said the Blues Fest also provides them with huge exposure to the thousands and thousands of attendees.

"What we love about the Blues Fest," Washington said, "is so many people get to hear about who we are and what we do. It's an awareness campaign for us and the community."

Jeremy Wilson, who began the foundation, agreed.

"The more exposure we get, the more musicians and musicians families find out about us and know we should be the first phone call that a musician makes if they're in some sort of medical emergency," he said.