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Singer Bruce Springsteen delighted Charlotte's Second Harvest Food Bank on Tuesday by making good on a pledge to match dollar-for-dollar any local donor willing to give the organization between $10,000 and $50,000.
The Springs Close Foundation gave the maximum of $50,000, which Springsteen met with a $50,000 check of his own. The $100,000 could provide as much as 600,000 pounds of food.
Second Harvest also benefited from an invitation Springsteen extended for his fans to bring donations of canned goods and cash to the concert at Time Warner Cable Arena. The totals food and cash donated at the show will not be known until later today, officials said.
"I think it's fabulous," said Angela McCrae, president of York County, S.C.,-based Springs Close Foundation. "We've been told that Bruce Springsteen likes to do things like this under the radar, without much publicity, so not many people knew about it in advance."
Springsteen has long been known for supporting food banks in cities where he performs, but Second Harvest officials say they were pleasantly surprised by his offer of a matching grant in early October. As further enticement, Springsteen offered to meet the donors backstage at his show, which McCrae planned to take advantage of, along with foundation's chair, Anne Springs Close.
The $100,000 comes at a time when agencies aided by Second Harvest are seeing a 30 percent to 40 percent jump in requests for help, said Kay Carter, executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank.
"Oh, my gosh, I am thrilled," said Carter, who worked to find the matching donor. "He's a huge star. For him to step out and encourage his fans to get involved is a wonderful thing."
She also praised the Springs Close Foundation, which first offered $30,000 but later decided to give the maximum of $50,000. The foundation has given Second Harvest nearly $200,000 for its programs in the past several years.
Because the Springs Close Foundation is based in York County, the $100,000 will benefit hunger programs south of the state line in York, Lancaster and Chester counties.
The foundation dates to 1942, when it was founded by textile mill owner Col. Elliott White Springs. It typically issues grants for educational, environmental and health causes, but has lately focused on critical needs of housing, food and shelter.
