Annual March Madness watch party partners with Philabundance to help fight food insecurity
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The NCAA men's basketball tournament is underway, and thousands of fans came through Center City Thursday to watch the matchups while giving back to the community.
While fans watched all the action on the big screens, a silent auction was also getting quite a bit of attention during the annual Zarwin Baum March Madness Watch Party.
"You go to any workplace today and they're talking about their brackets," Zarwin Baum's Mitchell Kaplan said. "It's a way to create relationships among your employees and it's a great way to make relationships across humanity, frankly, and across the entire country."
Thursday's event at the Crystal Tea Room inside The Wanamaker Building not only kicked off the first round of the tournament, but it also marked the event's 20th anniversary.
For the past 15 years or so, the event has partnered with the nonprofit food bank Philabundance to help fight food insecurity.
"Our organization provides food for so many people who have needs through almost 350 partner organizations who obtain food through Philabundance," former Philabundance Chairman Alan Casnoff said.
Over 80 items were up for auction ranging from gift cards to a hand-embroidered Eagles jacket and countless sports memorabilia signed by some of Philly's favorite pro athletes.
"I did see a Bryson Stott signed baseball that I'll probably bid on for my sons," Nicole Sheeran said.
While some were bidding, others were betting their predictions and brackets would come out on top.
"Purdue all the way. All the way. No doubt," PJ Dolan said.
"I'm going for Tennessee to win it all," Terrence Townsend said.
Regardless of which teams advanced, fans were all rooting for the same cause.
"Those that have the opportunity to do things for others, we should be," Dolan said. "That's the way we all live, and we should be living that way anyways."
In previous years, the event has raised anywhere from $50,000-$55,000 for Philabundance.
