Local Bands Team Up For Streetwise Benefit Concert

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 23, 2012 6:00PM

The StreetWise “hand up, not a handout” model allows homeless and impoverished Chicagoans to legitimately earn an income by selling the organization’s namesake magazine. That’s just skimming the surface of StreetWise’s services, which range from providing hot meals to substance abuse recovery assistance. But the not-for-profit needs financial support to fill the gaps in social services funding, and so a few local bands are teaming up to help raise some money.

The StreetWise benefit concert, now in its third year, goes down Friday night at Lincoln Park lounge The Tonic Room. Local folk-pop trio The Future Laureates will, as they have the past two years, headline the benefit show. Also playing are The Ewing Theory and Dave Tamkin. 50% of the proceeds from the event will go to StreetWise.

If you can’t make it out tomorrow night, there are other opportunities to help out, aside from buying StreetWise magazine from your local vendor—on Sunday, the org will hold an informational event at Black Bull Tapas in collaboration with the Chicago International Social Change Film Festival organization, and then Sept. 27 is StreetWise’s annual fundraising gala.

The StreetWise Benefit Concert is Friday, Aug. 24 at Tonic Room, 2447 N Halsted, 8 p.m., $10 in advance or $12 at the door, 21+