With a hungry heart for service, Bruce Springsteen has long believed that we take care of our own, a sentiment he exemplifies as a devoted friend and champion of CFBNJ.
His connection to the FoodBank dates back more than 40 years, and his relationship with founder Kathleen DiChiara was a meaningful one. Together, they shared a commitment to ensuring that no one in the Garden State went hungry. Springsteen not only respected her tireless dedication but also stood beside her as a powerful ally in raising funds, spreading awareness, and inspiring action. At several of his concerts, Kathleen even joined him on stage to appeal to his generous fans for support. Still today, Bruce hosts CFBNJ volunteers at his New Jersey shows, allowing them to ask attendees for donations. A friend and advocate for the effort to address hunger nationwide, he’s well-known for supporting local food banks at all his concerts throughout the United States, too.
Always willing to do more than just lend his name, Springsteen has shown up to address food insecurity — literally. Over the years, he visited CFBNJ’s warehouse — not as a celebrity guest but as a humble volunteer. He would unload trucks, move boxes of food, and do whatever else was needed to help, fitting in alongside other volunteers with ease.
“You look a lot like Bruce Springsteen,” people would occasionally say to him, unaware that they were working shoulder-to-shoulder with the real deal. For Bruce, it was never about the spotlight — it was about serving the community.
Beyond his hands-on help, Springsteen has consistently used his platform to uplift the FoodBank’s mission, amplifying CFBNJ’s fundraising efforts each year on Giving Tuesday via his social media channels. He has also helped CFBNJ to raise funds by donating signed guitars to be auctioned off at events. In 2008, when hunger in New Jersey surged during the financial crisis, Bruce appeared in newspaper ads across the state to urge support for CFBNJ. The “We Can’t Let This Bank Fail” campaign drew attention to the FoodBank at a time when resources were stretched thin and need was greater than ever.
“Hunger is everywhere in New Jersey — in every city, in every town, even in your hometown. There is much work to do,” Springsteen said.
Bruce’s belief in the dignity of every person, his understanding that hunger doesn’t discriminate, and his determination to help all make him not just a musical legend but a true hometown hero.