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NBC Benefit Raises $18.3 Million for Tsunami Relief
Written by
Lesly C. Hallman
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Friday, January 21, 2005 — Thousands of generous Americans pledged an estimated $18.3 million in donations during the “Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope,” hosted by NBC-Universal on Saturday, Jan. 15 for the American Red Cross International Response Fund for the tsunami victims.
The two-hour concert, broadcast from Universal Studios in Universal City, Rockefeller Center in New York and the BBC Studios in London, featured performances by artists including Madonna, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Sarah McLachlan, Eric Clapton and Sheryl Crow. Other celebrities including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Natalie Portman, Renée Zellweger and Halle Berry took time to thank donors who made contributions during the broadcast.
“The American people once again demonstrated tremendous compassion and generosity to the tsunami victims by supporting this special event,” said Marsha J. Evans, American Red Cross President and CEO, who attended the show in New York. “I am grateful to NBC-Universal, to the artists and celebrities who participated, and to all who supported this important effort, especially SBC Communications.”
Funds raised during the concert will support the American Red Cross assistance plan to meet the immediate and long-term needs of tsunami victims. Relief efforts will focus on five key areas: food and safe water; healthcare and disease prevention; immediate family supplies; mental health counseling; and disaster preparedness and prevention measures. Combining the funds generated through the concert with previous fundraising efforts, approximately $213.4 million to date has been pledged to the American Red Cross International Response Fund for tsunami relief efforts.
Money donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund has been used to purchase and distribute family supplies like the ones being given to families in Sri Lanka.
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The American Red Cross wishes to thank: NBC-Universal; the musical performers and celebrities who participated; executive producers Dave Broome of 25/7 Productions, Tony Eaton and Larry Kline of Tall Pony Productions; SBC Communications for making the broadcast commercial-free; Capital One for donating the time and services of their phone agents to handle calls; and Yahoo, GetActive, Convio and Kintera for partnering with the Red Cross to handle online donation processing.
Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 900 field units dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by 1 million volunteers and 36,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 70,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and keeps U.S. military families connected worldwide. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.
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