Beyonce has pledged to help “as many as we can” as the devastating Hurricane Harvey unleashes unprecedented flooding in Texas and leaves more than 30,000 displaced in the singer’s hometown of Houston.
“My heart goes out to my hometown, Houston, and I remain in constant prayer for those affected and for the rescuers who have been so brave and determined to do so much to help,” she said in a statement issued to the Chronicle.
“I am working closely with my team at BeyGOOD as well as my pastor (Rudy Rasmus at St. John’s in downtown Houston) to implement a plan to help as many as we can.” BeyGOOD was launched in 2013 for the Mrs. Carter World Tour as the charity umbrella for Bey’s worldwide philanthropic efforts.
Beyoncé also shared a black and white Instagram tribute to her home state, telling residents they are in her prayers. The post has enjoyed more than 1 million likes in 24 hours.
Earlier, Kevin Hart stepped up his donation from $25,000 to $50,000 and called out Beyonce, Jay-Z, T.I., Nelly, Usher, Chris Brown and other celebrities to do their bit for Houston’s recovery efforts. The comedian challenged “anybody right now who is in a powerful position where we can impact this issue through social media. Let’s go. Let’s all push a button, let’s help. Let’s really really try to save some lives.”
In a separate, earlier video, Hart explained: “This is a serious moment right now. I think we’ve participated in a lot of challenges on the Internet, some meaningful, some meaningless, but we’ve all done them. I’ve been a person that’s partaken in several of them.” He continued, “At this point, this is a serious matter.”
The Lone Star State has taken a battering as Hurricane Harvey exploded to a category four, bringing with it extreme winds and relentless rains that inundated more than 50 counties. More downpours are forecast throughout the week.
Rapper Drake and country star Chris Young are among the artists who’ve stepped up with promises of support for those affected.