How U2, Billie Eilish & Major Tours Helped Launch Musically Fed with Maria Brunner: EP 58

What really happens to all the untouched backstage food after a concert ends? In this episode of Crazy Amazing Humans, Katrina Carlson and Jefferson Denim take you behind the scenes of major concert tours and festivals with Maria Brunner, longtime music industry executive and founder of Musically Fed. Her remarkable nonprofit rescues untouched catering from concerts, tours, festivals, sporting events and entertainment venues, delivering it to veterans organizations, shelters, domestic violence shelters, community agencies and people facing food insecurity. Maria spent decades in the music industry, but it was losing her husband, a Vietnam veteran, that pushed her from noticing the waste to doing something about it. She wanted to build something productive out of her grief, so she started reaching out to the artists and promoters she already knew then something Crazy Amazing happened... U2 said yes. Then Kenny Chesney. Then Miranda Lambert started saving her own snacks between shows. One tour led to the next, and it grew into Musically Fed. Since it started, Musically Fed has rescued more than 870,000 meals and counting. Maria shares stories from the decades she has spent backstage at major concerts and live events with artists such as U2, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Zac Brown Band, Coldplay, Darius Rucker, Pitbull, Benson Boone, Noah Kahan, Journey, Ed Sheeran, Lollapalooza, the Hollywood Bowl, Innings Fest, Sueños and more. With her working knowledge of the touring world, the catering logistics, the production schedules and the chaos that happens after the show ends, Maria was uniquely positioned to discover something that many people never think about. After sold-out concerts, tons of perfectly good, untouched food often goes to waste while nearby families, veterans and people in need wonder where their next meal would come from. 00:00 The Concert Food Crisis Nobody Sees 01:47 Welcome to Crazy Amazing Humans 02:19 The Moment Maria Decided Food Should Never Be Wasted Again (Origin Story) 04:45 How One Concert Can Feed Hundreds of People (Shocking Statistic) 06:08 Inside the Hidden World of Major Concert Tours (Behind the Curtain) 08:06 How U2 and Kenny Chesney Changed Everything for Musically Fed (Goosebump Moment #1) 10:39 How a Vietnam Veteran Inspired an Extraordinary Mission (Heart Moment) 12:24 What Really Happens Backstage After the Show Ends (Curiosity Chapter) 14:08 James Taylor, Touring Crews and the Human Side of Music 16:08 The Race Against Time to Rescue Thousands of Meals (High Stakes) 17:52 Grammy Events, Midnight Mission and Feeding People in Need 20:45 How the Biggest Artists Quietly Help Feed Communities (Surprising Story) 22:59 Fleetwood Mac, Coldplay, Billie Eilish, The Stones and More 24:21 From Arenas to Festivals: Growing a Nationwide Movement (Momentum) 25:39 Music Feeds the Soul. Food Feeds the Body. (Powerful Quote) 26:52 How the Pandemic Changed Musically Fed Forever; Costco and Community Partnerships (Unexpected Twist) 30:38 Why Maria's Heart Will Always Be with Veterans (Purpose) 34:18 Serving People with Dignity, Not Charity (Life Lesson) 36:24 Lightning Round with Maria Brunner on Scottsdale, AZ (Fun Personality Break) 38:29 How YOU Can Help Reduce Hunger Today (Take Action) 39:17 One Simple Way to Reduce Food Waste This Week 39:36 What Gives Maria Hope for the Future (Hope Moment) 40:24 The One Lesson Everyone Can Apply This Week (Wisdom Moment) 41:43 Light One Candle Instead of Cursing the Darkness (Inspiring Closing Message) 43:48 Thank You, Maria Brunner 44:25 Final Thoughts & Thanks Go behind-the-scenes of the music industry with chefs, caterers, promoters, venues, volunteers. If you’re interested in how food waste can be repurposed, hunger in America, food insecurity, veterans, sustainability, nonprofits, the music industry, concert tours, backstage stories, philanthropy or people using their talents to make the world better, then this Crazy Amazing Humans episode is for you! Crazy Amazing Humans is a podcast about people who rise above and lift others even higher. In every episode, we highlight inspiring people using their time, talent and resources to create hope, serve others and make a meaningful difference in the world. Subscribe to Crazy Amazing Humans for more inspiring conversations with changemakers, nonprofit leaders, artists, advocates, authors, leaders and everyday humans doing extraordinary things. Join the Crazy Amazing Humans Community: Subscribe: https://katrinacarlson.com/contact/ Instagram:   / crazyamazinghumans   Facebook:   / crazyamazinghumans   Website: https://katrinacarlson.com/the-podcast/ Subscribe to Youtube and the podcast: Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/CAHPodApple Spotify: bit.ly/CAHSpotify iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ka...