June 12, 2024

Platinum selling rock band, Hinder, performed at The Dee Event Center in Ogden this past Saturday.  Although the show was a good old-fashioned rock concert the end goal was more than just enjoying a rock concert.  Hinder, along with local favorites, Late Night Savior, performed the benefit concert to help local nonprofit, The Utah Empowerment Initiative, in its mission to help pay down school lunch debt. 

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The UEI led by foundation president, Tanner Workman, put the show together to raise funds for the show but also with the goal of raising awareness of the issue. Hinder drummer, Cody Hanson, echoed the sentiments about helping children with access to lunches at school saying, “I Just think it’s a great cause because sometimes a child’s only meal might be at school.  You never know what a family’s circumstances might be and occasionally people just need a helping hand.”

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Besides the debt effecting students’ ability to eat daily, there could be other repercussions to their lunch debt according to Workman.  This could include students being denied going on field trips and walking during the graduation ceremonies when they graduate if they still have debt on their accounts and the families seeing the lunch accounts being placed with debt collections. 

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The evening helped bring the info to those in attendance and more with news spots and flyers supporting the event, while also giving everyone who came out a great time with good music.   All proceeds from the Rockin Ogden event after costs went to helping pay down the local lunch debt.