Morgan Wallen donates $500,000 to Hurricane Helene relief

On Monday, country singer Morgan Wallen donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross. The money will help his hometown of East Tennessee recover from Hurricane Helene. 

Wallen shared a message on his Instagram Stories before making the donation. He  wrote, “My family in East Tennessee are safe but I know many are absolutely devastated there and in multiple states.”

He added, “It is going to take a monumental effort and I am in contact with my team and others working on ways I can help.”

Hurricane Helene is one of the worst storms to hit the United States in 50 years. It caused flooding and damage in several states. So far more than 100 people have died and hundreds are still missing. In East Tennessee, 153 people are missing and at least three people have died. Many places lost power including more than 760,000 homes in South Carolina and thousands more in Georgia and North Carolina.

Wallen is the first celebrity to make a big donation for hurricane relief. His donation was made through the Morgan Wallen Foundation. The foundation usually helps kids get access to sports and music but now, it is helping with the disaster response. 

The American Red Cross thanked Wallen for his generosity and said the money will make a big difference. “We can’t thank Morgan Wallen enough for his heart and generous $500,000 donation to impact help on the ground now in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene, including his beloved East Tennessee,” Trevor Riggin, Red Cross’ national president for humanitarian services, said in a statement to Knox News.

Communities in East Tennessee and other areas are still struggling after the hurricane. Many people lost their homes and some were even stranded on hospital roofs due to flooding.