The 2nd Northumberland Rocks Back outdoor benefit concert held this past August showcased local talents Storm the Palace, Greatest of Ease, Marty & The Mojos, Cale Crowe, and Jeremy Macklin.

The concert raised an incredible $46,000 of which, $38,000 was donated to the United Way Northumberland and $8,000 to Cobourg and Bewdley Lions Clubs. This was almost double what the organizers raised last year which was in part due to generous donations and sponsorship.

“We are grateful for the overwhelming community support,” said Graham Beer, Chair of Northumberland Rocks Back and Executive Producer of Cobourg Media. “The impact of our organizers, volunteers, sponsors, musicians and crew will directly help thousands of individuals and families across Northumberland.”

This was a true community-spirited event with many volunteers assisting with all parts of the evening to ensure attendees had an exceptional concert experience. This includes the Cobourg Lions Community Centre that provided the space and sold beverages, and the Bewdley Lions Club that set up their food truck.

“The proceeds to United Way Northumberland from this amazing event will go directly back into the community,” says Maggie Darling, Acting Executive Director. “With your generous support, a portion of the proceeds will go to our Northumberland Eats Voucher Program and the remaining will be directed to individuals and families who are struggling in our communities as they face new challenges around inflation, rising food and housing prices, as a result of the pandemic.” 

The Northumberland Eats voucher program, a partnership of Northumberland County and United Way Northumberland aims to provide food support to individuals and families while supporting local businesses across Northumberland County. Vouchers are provided to social service organizations to distribute across the county to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity. These vouchers can then be used like cash at nearly 25 participating restaurants and food vendors throughout our community. Since the program launched in December 2020 more than 23,000 vouchers have been distributed to individuals and families across Northumberland County.