Taylor Swift donates $5 million toward hurricane relief efforts

Taylor Swift arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Taylor Swift has donated $5 million to Feeding America to support relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The nonprofit announced the pop star’s donation Wednesday with a “Thank You” graphic resembling a friendship bracelet, a favorite accessory that Swift’s fans trade at her concerts.

Feeding America is “incredibly grateful” for the donation, CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot said in a statement.

“This contribution will help communities rebuild and recover, providing essential food, clean water, and supplies to people affected by these devastating storms,” the statement continued. “Together, we can make a real impact in supporting families as they navigate the challenges ahead.”

The organization also encouraged fans and supporters to “join Taylor” in contributing to relief efforts.

Swift’s longtime friends, actors Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, also donated $1 million to Feeding America to support the hurricane relief efforts. Babineaux-Fontenot said in a statement that the couple’s “longtime support of Feeding America in times of crisis” has helped provide basic needs for several past natural disasters.

Swift has a long history of donating to nonprofits in the wake of natural disasters or tragic events, including a tornado that hit Tennessee in 2020 and a shooting in February 2024 at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory parade.

Her philanthropic relationship with food banks became a quiet hallmark of her record-breaking Eras Tour, with the singer donating the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of meals to different food banks across cities she played in.

Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm Wednesday, bringing misery to a coast still ravaged by Helene.