When Selena Gomez needed a large ticket item for her first Rare Impact Fund Benefit auction, she turned to best friend Taylor Swift, who responded in a big way.
The 12-time Grammy winner, 33, donated VIP tickets to her Eras Tour concert, listed on the Rare Impact Fund Benefit’s auction site for the starting price of $5,000. The tickets quickly sold for three times that amount — a whopping $15,000 — according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Gomez, 31, celebrated the first annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit: A Night of Radiance and Reflection on Wednesday, October 4, in Los Angeles. The event supported the Only Murders in the Building star’s non-profit organization, the Rare Impact Fund, which works to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health and expand access to mental health services and education for young people.
“This has been the culmination of a lifelong dream for me, but it has also stemmed from some of the darkest moments in my life,” the former Disney Channel star told the crowd.
“I struggled with the world inside my head for a long time and I felt lost and I felt hopeless at times. In 2020, I received my diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and, to be honest, everything quickly changed,” Gomez continued.
The singer/actress has been very open about her mental health challenges which inspired her to form her Rare Impact charity.
“I actually got the knowledge and the answers I had been desperate for so long, and understanding that obviously makes me become more aware of it, and I’m less afraid than I used to be,” she added. “With that knowledge, I could seek out the support I needed to be myself, to find my joy again, and tonight I’m very proud to say that I have. I’m working really hard every day and I’m so happy just to be alive and be here with you guys today.”
Martin Short, Gomez’s Only Murders in the Building costar, served as emcee and auctioneer for the evening.
“I am proud to call Selena Gomez my friend, and not because she’s successful or rich; because she’s both,” said the Canadian actor, 73. “What makes tonight very important is we’re here to support youth mental health awareness,” he added.
“I don’t think there’s anyone in this room that hasn’t been touched by mental health and its issues and the pain it can bring a family. We are here to raise urgent funds for the young people who need them.”
Another member of the Only Murders in the Building cast, Stevie Martin, auctioned a signed banjo, while fellow cast member Paul Rudd donated a fan experience: a movie night with himself, for $5,000.
Other auction items included a signed jersey from soccer star Lionel Messi and VIP tickets to Luke Combs’ Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old concert tour in Los Angeles.
The Rare Impact Fund, which Gomez founded in 2020, has a goal of raising $100 million over the next 10 years to improve mental health services for young people around the world.
