The money for Hurricane Harvey relief continues to pour in from famous faces across the entertainment industry with actors Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio the latest to contribute.
The Oscar winners each donated $1 million toward emergency and recovery efforts in Texas with DiCaprio shelling out for the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund and Bullock sending financial support to the American Red Cross.
“I’m just grateful I can do it,” said Bullock, who has a home in Austin. “We all have to do our part.”
Bullock also related the humanitarian efforts to the current political divide in the country. “There are no politics in eight feet of water. There are human beings in eight feet of water,” she said in a statement.
Vice president of communications for the Red Cross, Elizabeth Penniman, expressed her gratitude toward Bullock and other celebrities for giving back.
“Massive disasters like Hurricane Harvey create many critical and immediate needs, so we are heartened by donations like this — which allow us to provide immediate shelter, food and comfort to thousands in need,” she said. “The entertainment community has been so supportive to the Red Cross in response to this devastating disaster, and we are so grateful.”
DiCaprio didn’t comment on his donation but United Way Worldwide president and CEO Brian Gallagher did send his thanks.
“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Leonardo DiCaprio and his foundation,” said Gallagher. “Responding to Hurricane Harvey requires the best of all of us — and that’s what this gift represents.”
Help Houston and all those affected by Hurricane #Harvey by giving through the United Way Harvey Recovery Fund. https://t.co/qtpWx8u8wt
— United Way (@UnitedWay) August 30, 2017
The Titanic star also tweeted on Monday about supporting the Red Cross, though he did not reveal his financial donation.
Flooding has forced thousands in Texas & Louisiana from their homes. Join me in supporting the @RedCross: https://t.co/MoTyKAw8bU
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) August 28, 2017
Kevin Hart previously laid out a challenge to his celebrity friends to donate $25,000, among them Dwayne Johnson, who accepted in an Instagram post and shared his story of surviving Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Other celebrities also giving back include the Kardashians, Nicki Minaj, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jennifer Lopez, and the major sports teams and athletes in Houston, such as JJ Watt who started a fund through You Caring, which as of this writing, has raised over $10 million.
The Texans star shared his gratitude to big time donor, Ellen DeGeneres on Twitter.
Massive thank you to @TheEllenShow for the $1 Million donation.
We’re now over $8.5 Million.
Let’s keep going!https://t.co/SR6DmnNbyM pic.twitter.com/LRhVLzxFZj— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) August 31, 2017
Not to be lost in the news of celebrity donations is the work being done by volunteers and citizens like this anonymous Texas City resident who took his boat out to help save lives.
‘GOING TO SAVE SOME LIVES’
Heroes converging in #Houston#houstonflood #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/052ObBBrpx
— Austin Kellerman (@AustinKellerman) August 27, 2017
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