Alan Jackson Shows His Big Heart With a Big Check

Alan Jackson may have single-handedly changed the lives of countless children, thanks to a generous gift. Performing as part of 'Concerts for a Cause' in LaSalle, Ill., Alan met a three-year old boy named Corvin Berg at a meet-and-greet. The little boy told the country star how much help he's gotten from Easter Seals, which was the beneficiary of the charity show. But the event failed to even recoup its expenses, causing Easter Seals to be unable to reach its fundraising goals for 2009.

Alan, touched by his encounter with the toddler, immediately mailed a $20,000 check to the local Easter Seals chapter. "Alan had absolutely no idea that they were having difficulty funding their organization," the singer's publicist, Diana Baron, tells the La Salle News Tribune.

Shelley Threadgill, marketing director for Easter Seals, had quite the surprise when she opened the mail the next day. "Oh my gosh," she exclaimed. "This is beyond belief. Alan's concern for us is outstanding. We cannot even take it all in yet. This significantly impacts two programs that had been affected by the economy: Our autism resource center and the Lekotek in-home program that modifies toys to allow children with disabilities to play with them like other children ...This is a miracle. Thank you so much to Alan from the children and families of Easter Seals."

"I was on the phone with her when she opened the package," Diana recalled. "She thought she was getting an autographed photo!"

Alan, who was recently honored for 20 years in music, is hard at work on a new album, due out later this fall.