CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Greater than 80,000 Individuals from throughout North Carolina and the nation traveled to Charlotte for Live performance for Carolina on Saturday, a profit present donating 100% of proceeds to these impacted by Hurricane Helene within the western a part of the state.
Nation music stars Luke Combs and Eric Church, who’re each from western North Carolina, organized the star-studded present that included performances from James Taylor, Keith City, Billy Strings and others, plus shock appearances from Nicole Kidman and Randy Travis, to assist these impacted by Helene and ended up elevating $24.5 million.
“I’ve been volunteering with the hurricane reduction, and I see the place they want much more assist than what they’re being given, so this can be a nice alternative to take heed to music, which I really like, and assist the individuals who want it most who’ve been left behind by the individuals who ought to be serving to them,” Jessica White of jap Tennessee advised Fox Information Digital.
She added that individuals are nonetheless “sleeping in tents” as temperatures drop within the mountains.
LUKE COMBS AND ERIC CHURCH RAISE OVER $24.5 MILLION FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS AT STAR-STUDDED CONCERT FOR CAROLINA
Jessica White, who has been volunteering in western North Carolina, says individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene have been “left behind.” (Fox Information Digital)
“That is horrible. And it is much more horrible when we’ve got illegals sleeping in accommodations however our personal taxpaying residents are sleeping in tents as a result of a hurricane destroyed their dwelling,” White added.
Sherry from Denver, North Carolina, echoed that very same sentiment.
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Sherry from Denver, N.C., thinks “a majority of the nation has moved on and has no thought there are nonetheless individuals sleeping in tents.” (Fox Information Digital)
“I feel if we did for our Americans what we did for unlawful entrants into this nation, we would be in a significantly better place,” she mentioned, including that she thinks “a majority of the nation has moved on and has no thought there are nonetheless individuals sleeping in tents.”
“Good previous buddies and neighbors have stepped up, and I feel they’re going to be alright.”
Most of the attendees who spoke to Fox Information Digital on Saturday had seen the destruction in areas round Asheville themselves after they drove hours from their properties to ship provides and volunteer their time to assist individuals rebuild.
Most of the attendees who spoke to Fox Information Digital on Saturday had seen the destruction in areas round Asheville themselves after they drove hours from their properties to ship provides and volunteer their time to assist individuals rebuild. (Fox Information Digital)
One household from Avery County mentioned a tree fell on their dwelling through the storm, and so they drove to Charlotte for the live performance to flee a number of the stress they’ve handled over the past month.
Church introduced through the present that his charitable group, Chief Cares, was donating 100 properties to these in want after Helene, which killed 98 individuals in North Carolina alone and greater than 250 throughout the Southeast. North Carolina Gov. Cooper estimates that harm to the state totals about $53 billion.
Luke Combs and Eric Church carry out at Live performance For Carolina at Financial institution of America Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024 in Charlotte, N.C. (John Shearer/Getty Photos for Live performance For Carolina)
“We have give you a plan known as Blueprint for the Blue Ridge. We’ll put 100 households in properties which have misplaced their properties in Avery County and the encircling areas — one of many worst hit areas. In an space that I spent half of my years, an space I’ve had a variety of inspiration and gained a variety of inspiration, in an space I’ve made 5 data in. And we’ll go and preserve these individuals of their neighborhood, put a roof over their heads, allow them to work together with their neighborhood, allow them to be part of their neighborhood, and allow them to assist rebuild the neighborhood.”
Hosts Marty Smith of ESPN and Caleb Pressley of Barstool Sports activities introduced through the present that Dolly Parton had directed $1 million to Live performance for Carolina via a donation from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, which he devoted to Dolly particularly “to direct to causes that she cares about,” Smith mentioned on Saturday.
ERIC CHURCH SUPPORTS HURRICANE HELENE VICTIMS BY DONATING ROYALTIES FROM NEW SONG: ‘THEY’RE IN NEED’
Keith City and Nicole Kidman converse on the Live performance For Carolina at Financial institution of America Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (John Shearer/Getty Photos for Live performance For Carolina)
Earlier this month, the nation legend donated $1 million of her personal cash to the Mountain Methods Basis to help Hurricane Helene reduction efforts. Parton’s Dollywood additionally contributed a further $1 million to the reduction.
On Saturday morning earlier than the present, Church and Combs shared tales with Fox Information Digital about their recollections of western North Carolina as they mirrored on the mass destruction brought on by Helene.
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The stadium lit up throughout Eric Church’s efficiency on the Live performance for Carolina. (Audrey Conklin/Fox Information Digital)
“I keep in mind there was some video of an space that I knew intimately in western North Carolina, and … I did not know what I used to be . It was gorgeous to me to see this space that I grew up in, that I knew, that I now not acknowledged,” Church mentioned.
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Combs recalled a U-Haul dealership he was fired from as a young person.
“There is a Walgreens on one aspect of Tunnel Street, and there is a U-Haul dealership on the opposite aspect, and I truly labored one summer season at that specific U-Haul dealership. I obtained fired from that job, and … I got here dwelling, I used to be most likely 20 years previous, and I advised my dad and mom I obtained laid off. They knew that was a lie,” Combs recalled.
Combs added that it was “sobering to see so many locations that” he had walked along with his “personal two toes, particularly in Asheville,” destroyed by the hurricane. He talked about MANNA meals financial institution, certainly one of his chosen charities to learn from the Live performance for Carolina present and the place he and his mom used to volunteer, noticed extreme harm from the storm.
James Taylor performs on the Live performance For Carolina at Financial institution of America Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024 in Charlotte, N.C. ( John Shearer/Getty Photos for Live performance For Carolina)
“Very particular place for me. Numerous recollections there, and I simply hate to see the situation that it is in,” Combs mentioned.
All proceeds will likely be break up equally and distributed to Combs’ and Church’s organizations of their selecting in help of reduction efforts throughout the Carolinas and the Southeast, in response to a press launch.
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Combs’ portion will likely be distributed amongst Samaritan’s Purse, MANNA Meals Financial institution and Second Harvest Meals Financial institution of Northwest NC.
Church’s group, Chief Cares, is concentrated on serving to established charities and organizations which are well-managed, organized and may expedite help on to the households affected by Hurricane Helene.
Fox Information’ Ashley Hume contributed to this report.
