By Hannah Rishel
Collegian Staff Writer

In addition to providing music to State College tonight, the Goo Goo Dolls’ members are giving back to the community.

The band has partnered with USA Harvest, a “food-raising” — as opposed to fundraising — non-profit organization that gives meals to the hungry across the nation.

Nonperishable foods, which will be donated to regional food banks in each area, are being collected at each stop on the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Something For the Rest of Us” tour.

“It’s a really great cause,” Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac said.

The collection will be held before the concert, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., outside of Eisenhower Auditorium, weather permitting. If not, it will take place inside beside the merchandise table.

Heather Sage, regional co-leader of the Goo Street Team, said the food collected at Eisenhower goes to the Feed-a-Friend donation and distribution center, located in Wilkes-Barre.

John Mark Rafacz, editorial manager for the Center for the Performing Arts, said it is not yet known specifically where the donated food will be distributed by Feed-a-Friend.

“Feed-a-Friend is intertwined with State College,” Sage said. “Feed-a-Friend covers the State College and Williamsport area, so if the State College food bank needs food supplies they’ll benefit from the concert.”

While the food might be going to an area more than an hour away instead of State College specifically, Rafacz said the drive is still a wonderful cause attendees should take part in.

“I think it’s great when any performers give back,” he said. “The Goo Goo Dolls’ origins are from a blue-collar background, so they still think in those terms.”

According to a press release from the Goo Street Team, the collections the band has hosted at its past concerts have fed more than nine million families.

As an incentive for concert patrons to donate as much as possible, the band is offering a meet-and-greet for the person who brings the most items.

Takac said the tradeoff for helping the needy is well worth it.

“I just have to take a minute out of my day to say hello to a fan and take a picture with them,” he said.