R&B star The Weeknd, actual identify Abel Tesfaye, has made a major contribution to the World Meals Programme’s (WFP) emergency response efforts following Hurricane Melissa. A press launch confirms that on November 13, he introduced a considerable donation of $350,000 from his XO Humanitarian Fund to assist these affected.
Since Hurricane Melissa, a Class 5 storm, struck the Caribbean on the finish of October, almost six million folks throughout the islands have been affected. Jamaica bore the “brunt” of the harm, in accordance with Folks.
The Weeknd’s donation will assist the World Meals Programme (WFP) scale up its operations to help as much as 200,000 Jamaicans of their restoration from the catastrophe.
“We’re grateful to The Weeknd for his beneficiant help for WFP’s pressing reduction efforts. His compassion will present a lot wanted consolation and resilience to Jamaicans as they navigate this disaster,” Barron Segar, World Meals Program USA President and CEO, mentioned in a press release.
READ ALSO: How Shaggy organized the usage of personal planes to ship reduction support to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa
He added, “When it involves humanitarian disasters, WFP is among the many world’s first responders. However our work is barely doable by way of the generosity of our personal sector donors and world companions.”
The Weeknd established his XO Humanitarian Fund in 2022, in accordance with Advanced, with the aim of supporting the World Meals Programme’s (WFP) efforts to fight the worldwide starvation disaster. A good portion of the funding is derived from his broadly praised After Hours Til Daybreak Tour.
Since its launch, the XO Humanitarian Fund has distributed over $6.5 million to supply meals and help to folks going through starvation worldwide. This features a $4.5 million donation towards the WFP’s emergency response in Gaza and $2 million to help the WFP’s emergency meals help for ladies and kids in Ethiopia. Moreover, earlier this yr, the fund contributed $1 million to help Los Angeles County firefighters and affected residents.
Different celebrities have already joined reduction efforts to assist affected residents after Hurricane Melissa, essentially the most highly effective tropical cyclone of 2025 to date.
Lately, reggae icon Norville “Shaggy” Rogers coordinated hurricane reduction for Jamaica, mobilizing a personal air fleet to hurry essential support to the island. Motivated by the widespread destruction, the reggae star felt compelled to leverage his affect to mobilize support.
READ ALSO: Hurricane Melissa: Sean Paul to match as much as $50K in donations for victims in Jamaica
Aside from him, Sean Paul additionally introduced that he’ll match donations as much as $50,000 to assist these affected by Hurricane Melissa. The Jamaican dancehall singer disclosed this on Instagram as he spoke about how the hurricane is affecting his native nation.
“Proper now, my island of Jamaica goes by way of a very robust time,” Paul wrote alongside a video of himself standing exterior. “Hurricane Melissa has brought about critical harm, and plenty of of our brothers and sisters are struggling—households displaced, houses destroyed, and communities in want of assist.”
“By the Sean Paul Basis, we’ve partnered with Meals For The Poor Jamaica to convey reduction on to these affected,” the rapper famous.
He continued, “I’m asking all my followers, associates, and supporters worldwide, if you happen to can, please give what you may. Each donation counts, regardless of how small. Collectively, we will make a giant distinction.”
He then talked about how dedicated he was to matching up $50,000 in donations. “And to point out how a lot this implies to me, I’ll be matching each greenback raised, as much as fifty thousand {dollars},” Paul wrote. “Collectively, we will double the impression and assist much more households get again on their ft.”
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