Hurricane Irma and Harvey gave a devastating blow to the country. Many Americans are left homeless and had their property stolen by the natural disasters. However, despite their loss, the survivors remain strong. To help them rebuild what was lost, celebrities gathered to take part in “Hand and Hand;” a fund raising effort for all the hurricane victims. Here’s what happened.
Relief effort was a success
A lot of A-list celebrities lent a hand to gather money for the survivors. Legendary singer Stevie Wonder performed “Lean on Me” during the start of the event.
He shared a wonderful message about helping each other despite our differences. It opened the telethon on a positive note.
Big companies also contributed during the event. One of the first donations was given by Apple, which was announced by late night host Stephen Colbert. The multi-billion dollar company gave $5 million to the survivors. The donation was followed up by Albertsons Cos. and Merck’s donations which were announced by Jimmy Fallon. Both companies gave $1 million dollars.
Overall, Yahoo News reported that the event gathered more than $44 million, a massive sum that will greatly help the hurricane survivors. Actor Mathew McConaughey shared that although we can’t bring back what the victims lost, "we can help them know where to take the next step" (McConaughey).
Climate change and the power of unity
One message that clearly stayed throughout the relief effort was unity. Singers Drake and Beyonce hinted how our current political situation might be preventing us from uniting, especially in these times when news about racism and violence are everywhere. However, we must always be united.
Beyonce empathized that "natural disasters do not discriminate." It doesn’t matter where you are from, or whether you’re black or white. In these hard times, we must join together and help each other out.
Other than this message, Beyonce also discussed the effects of climate change. She stressed how all of the latest natural disasters that devastated the country are connected to it.
The flooding in India, and the earthquake in Mexico; these are all connected to what we are facing right now.
Following up the 36-year-old’s words was Wonder, who had something to say to people who don’t believe in climate change. The “Lately” singer called them "blind."
A lot of other singers and actors participated in “Hand In Hand.” Josh Gad, Justin Timberlake, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, and Julliane Moore are just some of the famous people who participated in the telethon. Singers like Demi Lovato, Miranda Lambert, Tori Kelly, Stevie Wonder, and Brad Paisley are just some of the singers who performed during the event.
