Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds donated $1 million for disaster relief following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, two deadly storms that heavily impacted Florida and North Carolina.
“We thank Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for donating $1 million to our disaster relief fund for Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” CEO of Feeding America Claire Babineaux-Fontenot shared on Instagram on Thursday. “These funds will help food banks provide basic needs like water, ready to eat food and supplies to communities facing heartbreaking loss and a long recovery.”
At least 17 deaths were attributed to Milton, according to media outlets. Hurricane Milton made landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 Wednesday evening, leaving devastating flooding with its passing.
The roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ baseball stadium was ripped to shreds and almost 1.5 million residents in Florida remain without power, according to poweroutage.us. People in St. Petersburg were told to boil water for drinking, cooking or brushing their teeth.
Hurricane Milton made landfall less than two weeks after Helene, a Category 4 hurricane that has so far left 227 people dead and an unclear number of people missing or unaccounted for. It left thousands without power and isolated, particularly those in the western mountain regions of North Carolina.
As residents rush back to assess damage to their homes, some have found everything destroyed. “We’ve got to start all over again,” a Florida resident said.
During Hurricane Helene, a massive mudslide swept through a town in North Carolina, destroying several homes and killing the occupants.
Both local supporters and celebrities have contributed generously with donations to help residents facing the impact of the deadly storms.
Recently, country music star Dolly Parton partnered with Walmart and Sam’s Club with financial assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Parton announced a $1 million personal donation, bringing the total to $2 million of support for disaster relief. Parton also partnered with Coca-Cola to deliver water supplies and served at a donation drop-off location for essential supplies including personal hygiene products and tarps.
“There are a lot of people hurting right now, and I can’t stand to see people hurting. and these are special people; they’re my people,” Parton said in the statement. “Everyone here grew up in the mountains just like I did, and I’m just heartbroken by what I’ve seen.”
Singer Taylor Swift also donated $5 million to help with Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts through Feeding America.
“Together, we can make a real impact in supporting families as they navigate the challenges ahead,” Feeding America‘s CEO wrote on instagram in response.
Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report.