Many thanks to Paul Richards at WHLI and John Williams at B103 for their support of rock CAN roll. Their few words reminding listeners to bring food donations to tonight’s show, certainly paid off!
As you can see everyone CAN ROCK!

There are still 15 shows playing at The North Fork Theatre before the end of the year. The venue seats about 2500 people. Imagine, if only 500 people bring 1 box of cereal to each show…we’d have 7500 boxes of cereal. Each box yields approximately 10 servings…We could provide 75,000 breakfasts!

With YOUR help, it CAN happen!

If you are coming to a show, put your tickets in next to a bag with your food donation!

Wishing you peace…

Aimée

The AHRC and similar Day Programs that services adults who are developmentally disabled have become our most important link. I received this note today from the Program Director…..

The East Hills AHRC Day Program has recently joined forces with the Rock Can Roll organization to assist them in anyway we can to fight hunger on Long Island.
We are a day program that services adults who are developmentally disabled. One of the goals of our agency is to have our individuals to do volunteer work in the community.
The way we assist Rock Can Roll is to send our individuals with staff support to various locations to pick up the canned food items and then deliver them to food pantries and other organizations.

(collecting food from the Temple Beth Torah Sukkot Program)

These jobs are a great opportunity for our individuals to help others in need. The individuals enjoy doing these jobs and feel they are making an important contribution. It is a great way for us to be a small part of the big picture in helping others.
We hope that all people will learn, that no matter what your situation or disability is, we can all be part of helping our fellow man in their hour of need.

This is what rock CAN roll is about…people helping people. We take the best that everyone CAN offer, and create projects that ROCK!

Wishing you peace…
Aimée

Thanks to all at AKAM Assoc. in Manhattan for your generous donation of beautiful coats and much needed food. Your kindness will warm the hearts and feed the souls of some men, women and children who live with hunger and in poverty.

Rock Can Roll

Outside of a supermarket, or on a city corner, a man repeats a persuasive sentence, desperately trying to draw interest towards whatever he has to offer. Perhaps he says he is raising money for cancer, or for an animal shelter, or maybe he plainly begs for cash. He paces back and forth, continuously repeating his prepared sentence, as people obliviously walk past him. Are these people truly oblivious or are they simply uninterested in what he asks of them? People who do not stop to give this man the time of day are most likely skeptical to provide a stranger with their hard earned money. Understandably, the “beggar” becomes invisible, as does the cause he is promoting. While many people who loiter about, asking for money, are not people to trust, the tables turn when a kind hearted citizen is the one begging for another’s attention.
From the standpoint of the kind hearted citizen, “Rock Can Roll” is an organization founded by a woman on a mission. After contributing to a hurricane relief effort, Aimee Holtzman was astonished and amazed at how much she had accomplished. The initial “few boxes” of supplies she had planned to send to Honduras, grew into a giant amount of materials which were needed. Holtzman was able to involve various other people in this cause; together accomplishing a miraculous achievement. From that inspirational event, Aimee created “Rock Can Roll”, an organization with the sole purpose of collecting food and money donations to be distributed all across Long Island. “Hunger lives among us and does not discriminate. It is here and now” Holtzman says. Aimee also strives to express that hunger can be found anywhere, as it is not easily sighted. One may never be quite sure who hunger will seek out.
Aimee, along with volunteers of “Rock Can Roll”, can typically be found outside of Northfork Theater at Westbury, a popular venue for rock musicians. A colorful array of canned foods, fliers, and the ever appealing donation jar filled with cash, are set up in front of the theater prior to every rock concert. As fans of the various musicians stroll, or rush (depending on how early or late some arrive) to the door, they encounter the opportunity to help the hungry of Long Island.
“Rock Can Roll” takes on the role of the kind hearted citizen when trying to interest die-hard rock fans in a charitable cause. Volunteers approach concert goers, kindly asking them for any form of contribution. Not only is this a tiresome process, but many music fans remain skeptical towards “Rock Can Roll’s” cause. One may believe that the crowds attending such concerts are simply uninterested in anything other than the show. Sometimes, this is a valid point. It is sad to see how many concert goers are purely uninterested in helping anyone but themselves. Upon hearing comments such as “Yeah! I’m hungry! You can make a donation to me!”, when asking for a contribution, volunteers grow entirely discouraged. Fliers crumpled and thrown onto the ground can also be heart shattering.
Nevertheless, it is important to realize that not all people act with a lack of care for the hungry on Long Island. To imply that all concert goers are uninterested and selfish is completely deceiving. While many music fans do behave in such a manner, it only proves the perseverance and achievements of “Rock Can Roll” and Aimee Holtzman to be even more admirable. The organization is glad to raise awareness, never allowing discouragement to hinder its motivation. Despite those who are not generous, many people do contribute a great amount. Hundreds of people are in awe of the issue “Rock Can Roll” addresses, eager to help and become involved. Some even nonchalantly slip hundred dollar bills into the collection jar, while others kindly donate a smaller amount. These contributions are true examples of kind hearted people on Long Island. Their actions prove that people such as Aimee Holtzman and her volunteers are making a difference in the world.
Aimee refers to her musical passion in saying that “John Lennon taught us to imagine”. Aimee’s imagination and motivational spirits are inspirational and proof that with hard work comes reward. Her volunteers look to her as a role model, making change where it is needed. The effects of “Rock Can Roll” on society are immense and life changing for many needy people.

This is the magic of rock CAN roll!
Steve was at The North Fork Theatre in Westbury last week and saw our “set up” there.
He contacted the rCr orgahization, and now… we are working together to collect ‘healthy and nutritious‘ non-perishable food items for our neighbours who live with hunger, at The Elvis Show. Hope to see you there!
January 12, 2008 at Matty T’s in Deer Park, NY

Many thanks to Steve and Lizz for ‘getting it’!…you guys rock!
For more info, please visit: www.myspace.com/theelvisshow
Please take a look at the rCr list of ‘Most Needed Foods’ to see what you can bring.

Please, act like Steve and Lizz…and GIVE!
Peace..
Aimée

So, you are a kid that loves halloween….what do you do after you go out trick or treating, collect tons of candy that no one could possibly consume by themselves?
And, imagine, you’re the parent…you’re kids have brought so much candy into the house, the smell is intoxicating! You can feel the pounds, without ever tasting a piece , YET !!!
Here is a thought …be like these kids…THEY ROCK!

They kept some candy for themselves, and then stopped to think about other kids, that couldn’t go out and enjoy the holiday. They thought about kids who live with the fear of hunger, and kids who live in really scary situations all year long. They thought, they’d like to bring some sweetness to others.
The kids, put out a call to their friends and collected over 100 pounds of candy and delivered it to a local food pantry…on their day off of school for Election Day!
Check this out! rock CAN roll, creates opportunities to match those who HAVE, with those who CAN with those who NEED. Our projects are fast, quick and easy and a win – win for all!

Thanks to Joe, Pam, Ruth and the very generous agents at CHARLES RUTENBERG REALTY of Long Island.

CHARLES RUTENBERG REALTY held their quarterly meeting at the Tivoli Terrace in Westbury. All the agents were asked to bring a non-perishable food donation. 383 lbs of food was donated to rock CAN roll!

Thanks for setting an example for all to see how easy it is to make a significant difference with so little effort!
On behalf of those who have benefited from your support, we thank you!

YOU rock!

rock CAN roll Founder, Aimée Holtzman with Joe Moshé, President of Charles Rutenberg, Long Island

A couple of weeks ago, I met Kat, who works with Naked Juice (it’s delicious! Try the GREEN) at the Craiglist Foundation Non-Profit Boot Camp.
Yesterday I received an email from her, that she had cases of Juice, with the expiration date coming due. It was 5:15p, when were able to talk, and she was traveling (very slowly in miserable rain) through Manhattan (on the west side) on her way back to Westchester in a refrigerated truck.

Kat wanted to know if we knew of a soup kitchen that could use the juice. When the call came in, she was on 65th street.

Because NO is a word I try to avoid using with respect to food donations, I said, I’ll see what I can do. I found an agency on 126th Street that was open until 6:30p! They were delighted when I called to let them know we could deliver the juice. I called Kat back at 5:30p (she was up to 76th street) and by 6:20p, 10 cases of healthy and nutritious Naked Juice arrived at the agency!
Thanks for thinking of us Kat…..you rock!

Thanks to Patrick at WALK, the upcoming Halloween Extravaganza at Adventureland is a rock CAN roll event! Go to:
http://www.walkradio.com/pages/halloween.html?feed=204562&article=339755

Thanks to all who came to the event with a CAN of food or non-perishable food donation! Although Saturday was a wash out…Sunday was outstanding! With help from UPS volunteers and Jericho High School volunteers, over 850lbs of food was collected and delivered to a local food pantry!

Enjoy the photos!

Jericho High School Student Volunteers…

UPS Volunteers….

He may be a ‘cereal’ killer , but he’s got a BIG Heart!

The Simpsons….rock CAN roll!

Judy…rocks!

Wishing you peace…
Aimée

WOW!
This past week was an exciting one for the rCr organization!
Read on….

Monday Evening 10.01.07 –
Long Island Press’s tribute to the Fortune 52 at Oragin!
95 lbs of non-perishable food and paper goods was collected at this event. The recipient agency was Sister Aimee and Bethany House.
I am continually in awe of the women I am called to stand with at these events! They are amazing. It is always wonderful to see the response when Beverly puts the call out, that her events are rock CAN roll events! Beverly…you and the LI Press, rock!

Last Monday and Tuesday October 2 and 3 –
Temple Beth Torah, Jericho, NY

Students at the religious school learned about the holiday of Sukkot. This is a harvest holiday, and an important part of the holiday is the concept of ‘gleaning’.
Ideally, it would be great to take the students into a field and let them actually ‘glean’ food for the poor. Unfortunately, this was not possible.
The next best thing was to bring the farm to them!
That is exactly what rCr did!
We had fruits and vegetables, donated from Dom Doria and Sons, delivered to the Temple.
The children made cards and decorated bags in the holiday theme.
Then they went in to the ‘field’ set up in the social hall and filled their bags for those who live with hunger and in poverty.
The kids were rockin’ and then they enjoyed time in the Sukkah.
When it was all said and done, 920 pounds of food was donated.
The rock CAN roll organization’s volunteers from the AHRC picked up the food and delivered in on Tuesday and Wednesday to a local food pantry.

Wednesday – 10.03.07 –
Syosset High School, Syosset NY

Syosset High School’s Interact Club’s Pot Luck Dinner
Many thanks and congrats to the InterAct club – they collected 150 non-perishable food items at their kick off dinner! Again, the amazing folks at the AHRC volunteered their time and transported the food to a local food pantry!

Thursday – 10.04.07
Long Island Volunteer Fair – SUNY Farmingdale, NY

230 lbs of food was collected at this event!
It was an exciting day! Many thanks to Erin, one of our superstar volunteers!
TV 55 came out to interview rock CAN roll! Maybe you caught the segment on Thursday night!