Leonardo DiCaprio, Sandra Bullock Donate $1 million to Help Huriccane Harvey Victims

Leonardo DiCaprio has joined the Hollywood effort to raise money for Hurricane Harvey victims. His foundation has donated $1 million (£775,000) to relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

The newly-established United Way Harvey Recovery Fund said it was “incredibly grateful” to receive its first donation from the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, pledging to distribute 100 percent of donations for recovery in the months and years ahead.

The donation matches the $1 million given by Sandra Bullock to the American Red Cross to help the thousands of evacuees in Texas and Louisiana created by the catastrophic storm. She said,

“I’m just grateful I can do it. We all have to do our part.”

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The American Red Cross praised Bullock Donation as an incredible gift:

“Having someone like Sandra Bullock make this kind of commitment, helps bring people together and opens their hearts to be even more generous.

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who donated $50,000 of her own money to the relief effort, presented a $1 million donation from Walmart to the Hurricane Harvey relief fund set up by J.J. Watt, defensive end for the Houston Texans.

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When #Texas needed him, @JJWatt was there. I was honored to help make this amazing gift from @Walmart possible. https://t.co/bObBtijEwq

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) August 31, 2017

Actor Kevin Hart donated 50,000 dollars (£39,000), and set up a crowd-funding page that has exceeded one million dollars and challenged other Hollywood stars to help out.

DJ Khaled responded with a 25,000-dollar (£19,000) pledge as did Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, the wrestler-turned-actor.

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The Kardashian clan also announced they would collectively donate 500,000 dollars (£387,000) split between the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, while Beyonce said her philanthropic organisation BeyGOOD would be helping.

Houston we are praying for you! My mom, sisters & I will be donating $500,000 to @redcross and @salvationarmyus today #HoustonStrong

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) August 29, 2017

So far 31 people have been confirmed dead after the storm that came ashore on Friday, but this number is expected to rise.

Harvey has been downgraded to a tropical depression but “life-threatening” flooding will persist in and around Texas cities Houston, Port Arthur and Beaumont and in the south-west of Louisiana.