Morgan Wallen Donates $500K to Support Hurricane Helene Victims in East Tennessee
“Those hills and hollers are very important to me in so many ways,” Wallen shared of his beloved East Tennessee.
Morgan Wallen; Photo by John Shearer
Morgan Wallen has generously donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to assist victims in East Tennessee affected by Hurricane Helene.
The Knox News first reported the news of the donation, which was revealed on Monday, September 30, just days after the hurricane plowed through the South, leaving behind widespread damage, and killing at least 128 people across six states, according to CNN.
“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,” Red Cross’ National President for Humanitarian Services, Trevor Riggin, shared of his Morgan Wallen Foundation donation.
On Sunday, Wallen took to social media to let fans know that his family was spared from the storm and offered heartfelt prayers to everyone impacted.
“My family in East Tennessee are safe but I know many are absolutely devastated there and in multiple states,” he wrote. “All my prayers are geared towards those tonight. Those hills and hollers are very important to me in so many ways. It is going to take a monumental effort and I am in contact with my team and others working on ways I can help.”
As reported by Knox News, many people remain missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s devastation. As of Sunday afternoon, 153 people are still unaccounted for, and at least five lives have been lost in East Tennessee due to the severe flooding.
Donations to the American Red Cross can be made HERE.
Wallen’s six-figure donation comes just days after his historic two-night run at Knoxville, Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. With these shows, he set the ecord for Knoxville’s biggest weekend ever, drawing a total of 156,161 fans over both nights.
The current seven-time CMA Awards nominee welcomed special guests to the stage during his Knoxville shows, including Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, and Darius Rucker.
While on stage, the East Tennessee native took a moment to reflect on what it meant to him to have the chance to perform at Neyland Stadium.
“I really appreciate that warm welcome, that means a lot to me. The last time I was in this stadium I was watching Tennessee kick Alabama’s ass. I can’t think of a better way to follow it up than to be here playing two sold-out shows this weekend. This is one of the most special days of my entire life and I’m very glad you guys chose to spend this weekend here with me – it means a lot,” he shared.
Ahead of his two-show run at Neyland Stadium, The Morgan Wallen Foundation donated $140,000 to Gibbs Youth Sports (GYS) during a press conference at the stadium. The funds will be used to renovate Ruritan Park, which serves students from Wallen’s alma mater, Gibbs High School, and the surrounding areas in Knox County. The renovations will include indoor fielding and batting facilities, complete with batting cages, machines, pitching lanes, and a fielding area—resources currently unavailable in the Gibbs/Corryton community.
A portion of proceeds from every ticket sold to Morgan Wallen’s live performances goes to The Morgan Wallen Foundation (MWF), which is dedicated to ensuring all children have opportunities to flourish, play, and express themselves through sports and music.
Wallen has three shows left on his One Night At A Time 2024 tour, including Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium on Oct. 4 and two nights at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 18 and 19.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
You may also like
Country Next
Playlist
On Repeat
Get the latest country music news delivered straight to your inbox.
