Taylor Swift donated the remainder of her $1 million pledge to four charities benefiting those affected by the devastating Louisiana floods.
The "Shake It Off" singer, 26, pledged in August to help the victims of the historic floods by donating $1 million to deserving causes across the state. She has allocated the funds to Convoy of Hope, The Life of a Single Mom and YWCA Greater Baton Rouge. She also gifted $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity, which hopes to rebuild 100 homes in Baton Rouge by the end of 2017.
"Our hearts are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support for single moms," a statement on The Life of a Single Mom's website reads. "We are grateful to Taylor Swift for reaching out to help us ensure that no single mom walks alone during this very difficult time. The devastation across southeast Louisiana has been unbelievable. We are thankful for the opportunity to serve more single moms with this gift."
Dianna Payton, CEO of YWCA Greater Baton Rouge, echoed similar statements, writing on the organization's website: "The generous donation from Taylor Swift could not have come at a better time for our organization. These funds will be put to great use as we continue working to restore our Early Head Start facility that was damaged during the historic flooding last month, and continue our critical work of providing access to high quality early childhood services. … Thank you, Taylor Swift, and to all those at the Taylor Swift Foundation, for your kindness and generosity in these challenging times."
In August, Swift released a statement to the Associated Press in which she explained why the floods hit so close to home. "We began the 1989 World Tour in Louisiana, and the wonderful fans there made us feel completely at home," she said. "The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking."
The catastrophic floods, which were caused by the more than 6 trillion gallons of rain that fell in Louisiana between August 8 and 14, killed at least 13 people and damaged tens of thousands of homes. The floods have been called the worst natural disaster in the United States since Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Lady Gaga, Ellen DeGeneres and Britney Spears also donated to the relief fund.
