National Life Group Do Good Fest raises over half a million meals for North Texas kids

A night of live music in downtown Arlington added up to a meaningful boost for children's nutrition. On Saturday, Oct. 24, the National Life Group Do Good Fest raised $105,000 for the Tarrant Area Food Bank's Ready to Learn initiative during a benefit concert at Levitt Pavilion Arlington. The company says the funds will provide more than half a million meals for children across North Texas.

The outdoor concert marked the fifth year the benefit has been held at the Levitt. Barenaked Ladies performed alongside Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb, and the evening opened with sets from local performers Chad Hollister and Emery Dunham. Attendees had access to food trucks and a VIP lounge, and the event combined the music with fundraising aimed at childhood hunger in the region.

National Life Group has been building this effort since it brought the festival to Texas in 2021. Organizers say the company has now helped raise more than $400,000 for area children and families through the series. The Tarrant Area Food Bank, one of the largest charitable organizations in its 13-county service area, says it provides over one million nutritious meals each week, along with food and nutrition education for people facing hunger.

John Mullett, president of the National Life Group Foundation, described the event as a sign of local generosity. "Do Good Fest is a powerful example of what happens when a community comes together around a shared purpose," he said. He added that North Texans have shown up not just for the music but to make a difference in the lives of local children and families.

Original reporting by CW33.com, which drew on a KDAF report for its coverage of the concert; details on the food bank's services come from the Tarrant Area Food Bank materials published by National Life Group.