The Weeknd's $350,000 Donation Supports WFP's Hurricane Relief Efforts in Jamaica
Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, a Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP), has generously donated $350,000 from his XO Humanitarian Fund to support WFP's emergency response following Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. The hurricane affected nearly six million people in the Caribbean islands, with Jamaica being hit the hardest. WFP has been working with the Jamaican Government to provide food assistance to the most affected families. So far, over 9,000 individuals have received food kits containing essential items like rice, lentils, canned fish and meat, and vegetable oil. Across Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti, WFP has reached 254,000 people with emergency food distributions.
The Weeknd's donation will help WFP scale up its operations to reach up to 200,000 Jamaicans as they recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. The support from The Weeknd and other donors is crucial in enabling WFP to respond quickly to humanitarian disasters and provide food, hope, and resilience to families facing hunger and displacement. To contribute to WFP's hurricane response efforts, donations can be made through World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C., that supports WFP's mission to end hunger globally.
World Food Program USA collaborates with American policymakers, businesses, and individuals to advance the fight against hunger in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme, a 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a prominent humanitarian organization. Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye established the XO Humanitarian Fund in 2022 to support WFP's initiatives to address the global hunger crisis. The fund, fueled by proceeds from his "After Hours Til Dawn" stadium tour, has contributed over $6.5 million to provide food and assistance to millions of people in need worldwide. This includes donations of $4.5 million for WFP's emergency response in Gaza, $2 million to support emergency food assistance for women and children in Ethiopia, and $1 million to aid Los Angeles County firefighters and residents affected by wildfires.