Morgan Wallen Makes $500,000 Donation to Red Cross amid Hurricane Helene
As of Sept. 30, the death toll rose to more than 100 people
Morgan Wallen is lending a hand amid Hurricane Helene.
On Monday, Sept. 30, the "7 Summers" singer donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to help his home of East Tennessee recover from damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
Before making his donation through the Morgan Wallen Foundation, the country singer, 31, shared a statement on his Instagram Stories: "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."
Wallen is the first celebrity to make a substantial donation to help people harmed by the historic flooding.
Related: Nashville Metro Council Rejects Proposal for Morgan Wallen Bar Sign Citing His Past Behavior
Through the Morgan Wallen Foundation, the "One Thing at a Time" singer ensures kids "have access to the same opportunities he had in the areas of sports and music" and contributes to communities in times of crisis.
"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.
As of Sept. 30, more than 100 people have been reported dead from the hurricane and hundreds of others remain missing.
The death toll from the Category 4 hurricane reached at least 107, according to the Associated Press.
Helene is one of the deadliest hurricanes to hit the mainland United States in the past 50 years, according to CNN.
In northeast Tennessee, 153 people remain missing and at least three people have died after the storm triggered flash flooding throughout Appalachia, according to NBC News.
Over the weekend, more than 50 people were left stranded on the roof of a Tennessee hospital due to flooding. They have since been rescued and patients in need of transferred medical care were taken to the Johnson City Medical Center about 20 miles away.
"There’s no way the building’s gonna survive this," Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine said, per WJHL. "We’ll take a look at it once the water goes down, but it’s a shame; it’s a brand-new hospital. But you know what? It’s just a building. We can figure that out. I’m just thankful to God and everybody that our people are safe."
Meanwhile, more than 1.5 million people remain without power due to the hurrican, including more than 760,000 in South Carolina, 573,000 in Georgia and 458,000 in North Carolina, according to PowerOutage.us.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.