Stolen donations didn’t stop Street Music Week from raising tens of thousands of dollars for 2nd Harvest

This year’s Street Music Week ended with nearly $30,000 raised to help 2nd Harvest support hungry people in the Inland Northwest.

Kathy Hedgcock, senior leader of 2nd Harvest, said persistently high consumer prices are putting pressure on families, and one in eight people in Spokane and North Idaho face hunger.

Money raised through Street Music will be used immediately to help feed the community in need in Spokane and North Idaho, Hedgcock said.

2nd Harvest relies primarily on private donations to cover the costs of securing and distributing food donated to its mission, she said. Donations help cover fuel and transportation costs as well as the ability to manage donated food supplies and ensure those resources return to the community.

“You can imagine how honored we are at 2nd Harvest to be a part of Street Music Week for the last 22 years,” Hedgcock said. “This is a very special event that brings together incredible community generosity to feed people in need, so we are truly grateful.”

Street Music Week raised $29,976.62 with help from the community, street musicians and sponsors, said Corey Eyer, Street Music Week organizer. The total includes $5,000 donated by the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation and a $2,000 match from a Garland company, Integrity Insurance Solutions.

One musician had his bucket stolen at the event, but others in the area quickly made up the lost amount, Eyer said.

A busker was performing Friday on a corner in downtown Spokane when a man walked by, grabbed his donation bucket and started running, Eyer said. The man stole the money from the bucket and threw the container at the busker before running away. The musician estimates that between $5 and $8 was stolen.

Eyer said he didn’t hear about the theft until the busker returned his bucket.

“There were other people who saw this happening and came to talk to her and make sure she was OK,” Eyer said. “When she came back, she had 20 in her bucket. They were very generous and filled her bucket before she started playing again.

Eyer said it’s not too late to increase the total amount of money raised. Donations can be made at 2-harvest.org/streetmusic.