Taylor Swift is giving back to Tennessee to aid those impacted by the deadly tornadoes that ripped through communities in the Middle Tennessee area on Saturday, Dec 9. The “Cruel Summer” singer made a $1 million donation to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, the organization confirmed to Billboard. USA Today first reported the donation.
According to CNN, the storms left at least six people dead and dozens hurt, with hundreds of buildings damaged. The National Weather Service reported that the tornado that impacted Montgomery County’s Clarksville covered an 11-mile trek, with winds peaking at 150 mph. The storms also ripped through Madison, Gallatin and Hendersonville. When Swift and her family first began pursuing her music career in Nashville more than two decades ago, she attended Hendersonville High School.
Hal Cato, CEO of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, also offered a statement about Swift’s donation. “The Swifts found their original Tennessee home in Hendersonville and Sumner County and remain deeply committed to its continued well-being,” he said. “Taylor’s incredibly generous gift sends a message to her hometown — and the communities around it — that she has their backs during the long road to recovery following this devastating event.”
This isn’t the first time the “Anti-Hero” singer has made a significant donation to the organization. In March 2020, Swift donated $1 million to the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund after areas in that region were struck by devastating tornadoes.
Swift is known for her philanthropic ways. As part of her juggernaut The Eras Tour, the 12-time Grammy winner has made donations to food banks in the U.S. cities that she’s played. The Second Harvest of Silicon Valley Food Bank revealed that when Swift’s The Eras Tour visited Santa Clara, Calif., on July 29, she donated enough funds “to nourish an average of about 500,000 people every month in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.”
In August, Swift gave $100,000 bonuses to The Eras Tour truck drivers before the July 29 Santa Clara show, and gave bonuses to other members of her touring entourage, including band members, dancers and sound technicians.
