As temperatures warmed this week following the devastating winter storms of last week, Texans were finally able to survey the damage; discovering that even though they were out of the cold, there is still plenty of work to do before things can get back to normal.
During the storm, temperatures plunged to record lows while over 4 million homes lost power. As a result, the disaster brought a profound loss of life as many Texans died due to hypothermia, carbon monoxide poisoning, and deadly house fires. So far, the official death toll has almost hit 80. But that is likely to be much higher, according to the Wall Street Journal.
On top of all of this, those who made it through the storm are now in the midst of dealing with the intense property damage that came with the extreme weather. Many Texans watched as their roofs collapsed, their frozen pipes burst, and their houses flooded, due to the lack of structural preparations that were made for this type of weather. For these families, it will take a long time and a lot of money before things can get back to normal.
In response to this devastation, many celebrities have decided to step up and help. Last week, Beyonce showed that she was still looking out for her home state of Texas by teaming up with Adidas and Houston-based disaster relief organization: Bread of Life to provide financial assistance to those who need it most. The Houston native announced this project through her charity initiative BeyGOOD. Those who are in need of the relief could apply for up to $1,000 dollars in aid to help alleviate the burden of the storm.
But Beyonce wasn’t the only one to step up during Texas’ time of need, and many other celebrities have provided aid to the Lone Star state since last week. Singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves released t-shirts that said “Cruzin’ For A Bruzin,” making fun of Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s overnight Cancun trip. All the proceeds from the shirt are going directly to Texans in need as well as homeless immigrants who need shelter and food, according to Vanity Fair.
Other celebrities that have provided aid to Texas include actress Reese Witherspoon, who encouraged her followers to follow her in donating to the Austin Free Fridge Project, as well as DJ/producer Diplo, who purchased over 400 meals for the Austin Texas Musicians relief drive. As Texans begin the long process to recovery, these donations provide much needed relief to many communities.
