Several Hollywood celebrities were able to raise more than $14 million for the benefit of the hurricane victims, through MTV's "Hand In Hand” telethon, The Huffington Post reported. Some of those who participated in the benefit project include Beyonce, Justin Bieber, and Demi Lovato.

Hollywood stars like George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Hanks, and Julie Roberts also joined the live telephone conversations with prospective donors. The hour-long fundraising event organized by MTV took place on Tuesday to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

Aside from the telethon, the show also featured inspirational songs and life stories shared by the victims of the recent tragedy. The telethon aired in various cities such as Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York.

Actresses Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman also featured stories of survival, as musical artists offered a rendition of various hits to uplift the spirits of those affected by the tragedy. Country singer Blake Shelton and R&B artist Usher sang “Stand By Me.”

Meanwhile, “Despacito” singer Luis Fonsi shifted his genre for a while to perform Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” with co-artist Tori Kelly. Some of the other songs performed were “I Believe” and “Mercy.”

Celebrity efforts

Aside from raising more than $14 million from the telethon, Stephen Colbert announced during the event that Apple had donated $5 million for the Hurricane Relief, The Huffington Post and Reuters reported.

The tech company recently unveiled its newest products at a launch event held on September 12.

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma consecutively hit several areas in the United States after making their landfall. Irma has been touted as “one of the most powerful Atlantic storms” in history, damaging properties and claiming lives of people, the report added.

Among the heavily damaged areas include the Florida Keys and Houston, Texas.

Her beloved hometown

Beyonce is one of the celebrities who has shown her dedication after the onslaught of the storm. She organized a charity in her hometown of Houston and distributed free meals to the victims with the help of her daughter Blue Ivy, US Weekly reported.

She tapped her mother and her co-stars from her former group Destiny’s Child to help in the distribution of food. In partnership with her team BEYGood, she was able to provide meals for people displaced in Houston.

The singer said that natural disasters should "not discriminate." She added that these disasters do not see people in terms of culture, race or religion. “We’re all in this together,” she told The Huffington Post.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED