By Michelle Riehle-Ludtke
The Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) and in-house caterer Taste of LA by Levy Restaurants recently repurposed more than 800 meals from two GRAMMY® Week events, hosted by the Recording Academy®, to serve several Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations.
The LACC Levy team partnered with Musically Fed to donate unused meals from the 2020 MusiCares® Person of the 
Year benefit gala and the GRAMMY Celebration® to the Los Angeles Mission, The Midnight Mission and Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children.
“We are thrilled to share the success of this initiative,” said Ellen Schwartz, General Manager, LACC. “As a facility committed to sustainability and community service, Musically Fed was a perfect partner to further our goals to reduce our environmental footprint while serving those in need.”
In the United States alone, nearly 40 percent of food is wasted per year and Musically Fed is working with the music industry to change that. The Phoenix-based nonprofit mobilizes artists, promoters, managers and venues to donate unused meals to local organizations.
“Our goal is to equip artists and their teams to leave each city with a lasting positive impact,” said Maria Brunner, Founder & Director, Musically Fed. “We are grateful to the Recording Academy and Levy for making this tremendous opportunity possible. We hope it serves as an example – and a challenge – for the rest of the music industry to get involved in the fight against hunger.”
Taste of LA by Levy worked alongside Musically Fed to ensure every bit of food was upcycled to local organizations in need after the conclusion of the GRAMMY Week events. This initiative builds on the LACC Levy team’s commitment to waste diversion. Since 2014, the LACC and Levy have worked together to donate 221 tons of food.
“At Levy, we are continuously looking for new ways to repurpose leftover food and create less waste,” said Patrick Smart, General Manager, Taste of LA by Levy, LACC. “Utilizing Musically Fed’s services during GRAMMY Week was a very positive experience and we hope to inspire our peers to join us in making a difference.”
Michelle Riehle-Ludtke is Marketing & Community Relations Specialist at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Pictured: Musically Fed employees drop off repurposed meals from GRAMMY Celebration® at The Midnight Mission, Los Angeles on January 26, 2020.
