Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief on Friday announced a $5 million donation from Apple, which will be put toward ongoing Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Texas. The donation will also benefit the expected damages from incoming Hurricane Irma.
Hand in Hand is planning to host a live telethon on Tuesday, September 12 to raise additional money for hurricane relief efforts. Donations from the telethon will benefit the Rebuild Texas Fund, Feeding Texas, Save the Children, United Way, Habitat for Humanity, and DirectRelief.
The telethon is set to feature celebrities and performers like George Clooney, Matthew McConaughey, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Stephen Colbert, Julia Roberts, Robert De Niro, Ellen DeGeneres, Drake, and Oprah Winfrey.
In addition to their donation, Apple is also planning to allow Apple customers to donate through the App Store and iTunes. In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook said:
“On behalf of everyone at Apple, our hearts go out to the millions of people whose lives have been disrupted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and the many more still bracing for Irma’s impact. We applaud Hand in Hand for bringing together people from all over the country to help one another at a time when so many desperately need it. In addition to Apple’s direct contribution to the relief and recovery efforts, we’re making it easy for anyone in the US to make their own donations to Hand in Hand through the App Store and iTunes.”
The one-hour live special will air on Tuesday, September 12 from 8:00pm to 9:00pm EST.
