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Entertainment Industry’s Response to Harvey
Hurricane Harvey (also being referred to as Tropical Storm Harvey) has already wrought havoc in Texas, with an estimated 450,000 predicted to seek disaster assistance and at least 39 dead in Texas. With such destruction left in Harvey’s wake artists, promoters, athletes and various organizations are all stepping up by providing resources to help with mitigation and recovery.
Jay Janner / Austin American-Statesman via AP – Harvey boat
A volunteer rescues a family from their flooded house in Beaumont, Texas after Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday Aug. 30, 2017. A weaker Harvey replicated its devastating roll Wednesday, returning to shore with a deluge of rain that inundated homes and highways and left police and government officials struggling to pluck people from the water.
Flooding rains are expected to continue across eastern Texas and into Louisiana and the surrounding region in the coming days, so the situation is certainly not resolved, but we have compiled a brief list of relief efforts below. These cursory summaries are based on information available at press time and they may be updated as more information becomes available.
A report on the status of Houston area venues and their participation in relief efforts is available in a separate article.
– Jaime Foxx announced a telethon fundraiser is in the works on Instagram, and said that he has donated $25,000. Rapper Bun B and Scooter Braun are helping to organize that event, according to the LA Times. Reese Witherspoon, Blake Shelton, Hillary Duff, and Michael Strahan are all involved with the project, TMZ reported, with an hour-long special scheduled on Sept. 12.
– Tyler Perry announced he will be donating $1 million to various funds.
– MusiCares announced the establishment of a relief fund to support members of the music community affected by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. Assistance includes basic living expenses such as food and shelter, medical expenses, clothing, instrument and gear replacement, relocation costs, home repairs and debris removal. Music community members seeking assistance can contact the South Regional MusiCares office at 615.327.0050.
MusiCares also teamed up with Guitar Center to launch an initiative to “help impacted musicians, songwriters, recording studios, and audio professionals re-build their lives.”
– J.J. Watt of the NFL’s Houston Texans has raised more than $15 million through YouCaring. Drake, Tom Brady, Ellen DeGeneres, Chris Paul and Titans owner Amy Adams Struck among others reportedly donated to the cause.
– Kevin Hart organized a series of donations on social media from a list of celebrities reported to include The Kardashian Family, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, DJ Khaled, T.I., Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and The Chainsmokers.
– Miley Cyrus announced a $500,000 donation through her Happy Hippie Foundation via the “Ellen”television program.
– Actors Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio reportedly donated $1 million apiece.
– Solange announced her Sept. 28 concert in Boston will benefit Harvey Relief, according to the Boston Globe. A portion of sales from her NYC show on Oct. 3 will also reportedly go to relief efforts.
– Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD foundation set up a donation page allowing fans to donate to Houston charities Bread for Life and Greater Houston Community Foundation.
– Kacey Musgraves announced proceeds from the sale of one of her t-shirts would go to helping victims of Harvey.
– Lady Antebellum promised to donate proceeds from the merch sales in Dallas to relief efforts.
– Chris Young donated and Chris Brown pledged to donate $100,000.
– Old Settler’s Music Festival donated $5,000, with half going to Central Texas Food Bank.
– Alan Jackson’s AJ’s Good Time Bar is hosting a drive, during which it will give $1 for each item sold to the Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund administered through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
– Florida Georgia Line collected donations at the group’s Nashville bar.
– Miranda Lambert’s Mutt Nation Foundation has helped animal rescue efforts in flooded areas.
– Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas and DNCE are promoting donations to the Houston Food Bank. Lovato promised $50,000.
– All proceeds from Fall Out Boy’s Nov. 7 date in Houston will benefit relief efforts through the Fall Out Boy Fund.
– The Lights All Night festival in Dallas Dec. 29-30 has set up a specially priced “Houston Relief Pass” for its event. The ticket is $10 more expensive than a normal ticket, but the festival and a number of artists will match the donation, meaning a total donation of $90 per special ticket. Artists participating include Bassnectar, Porter Robinson, Illenium, Seven Lions, Ookay, Drezo and Tokimonsta.
– A TN to TX benefit concert has been announced by MINT Artist Management, Housequake Productions and Total Assault. The event is set to take place Sept. 6 at Mercy Lounge in Nashville, with a $10 suggested donation. Sinclair, Andreas Moss and Vacation Manor are confirmed to perform.
– Incubus announced it would donate all the proceeds from its recent Houston Make Yourself Foundation event to relief efforts. Additionally all fans who donate a minimum of $5 through their program will be entered into a lottery, the winner of which will win a trip to meet the band at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo.
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– The Nashville Predators announced an online auction to help with hurricane relief, open until Oct. 10.
– The Houston Astros donated $4 million to relief efforts. The Houston Rockets donated a total of $10 million.
– The Tampa Bay Rays are donating the ticket, concessions andparking revenues from their series with the Astros to relief.
– Texans owner Bob McNair will donate $1 million and the NFL agreed to match his donation. Patriots Owner Robert Kraft donated $1 million. The New York Jets will donate $1 million to the Red Cross.
– Athletes Mike Trout and Ezekiel Elliott’s donation numbers matched their jersey numbers in thousands.
– Matt Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals promised $10,000 for every home run he hits for the rest of the season. His teammate Adam Wainwright promised to match that donation.
– The Cleveland Indians’ Jay Bruce is matching donations up to $100,000.
– The Jacksonville Jaguars’ Leonard Fournette and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Scott Kazmir, Curtis Granderson and Yaseil Puig have reportedly announced donations through various charities.
-The Buffalo Sabres Zach Bogosian is donating through his own charity.
– The University of Houston’s athletic teams have been organizing clothes and food donation efforts.
– President Donald Trump has pledged to donate $1 million to Harvey relief, White House reps shared.
In addition to these reports, countless individuals have chosen to donate privately and to help out with relief efforts on the ground.