'Hope for Haiti Now' Has Raised $57 Million ... So Far

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Jan 24th 2010 09:01AM

Organizers for George Clooney's all-star 'Hope for Haiti Now' telethon say the event raised $57 million -- and counting.

"The public has set a new standard of giving for a relief telethon with 'Hope for Haiti Now,' and the donations continue to come in," Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, said in a statement released Saturday evening. The group is helping to oversee the funds gathered from the event.

The two-hour telethon aired Friday night on the major networks and dozens of other channels, including MTV, Bravo, and PBS, and was also streamed live online. Stars like Justin Timberlake (pictured), Beyonce, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen and more used their presence to encourage donations for Haiti, following a Jan. 12 earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 people.

The total released Saturday includes money raised by phone, text and the Web. It does not include donations by corporations or via iTunes, where people are able to buy performances of the event for 99 cents each, or the entire album for $7.99. Those funds also go to Haiti relief.

The 'Hope for Haiti Now' CD is the biggest one-day pre-order in the site's history and the new song 'Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)' by Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono and the Edge, debuted during the telethon, is the No. 1 single on iTunes.

People can donate via text, phone or through the 'Hope for Haiti' Web site for the next six months. Among the organizations who will receive funds from the telethon include Oxfam America, UNICEF, and the Clinton-Bush Haiti Foundation.

Missed It? Get 'Hope for Haiti' Recap and Videos

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Comments

(58)

Sunday 24 January

By Bradley

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I feel for those people in Haiti but I have to wonder if this country had a tragedy like that what other countries would be having telethons for us? These phony celebrities need to concentrate on the problems in this county.

By Darin

I agree 100% Bradley...Our country has millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Left with piles of debt that it would take years to dig themselves out of and yet they think by placing these Celebrites on their podiums that we the idiots will go ahead and send our money to help others. We are a nation need help right here on U.S. soil and no one is running to help us.

By Ashley

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The celebrities aren't phony. And while people need to focus on the problems (because we have plenty of them) Haiti is a whole new type of trouble. Are you aware they got demoted to a 4th world country because of their level of poverty? They literally eat dirt cakes and if they get actual food like bread it is a big deal. If our country suffered a major earth quake, like the two they had, we would be slightly better at providing for ourselves. We have a less corrupt government, we aren't executed by our neighbors for crossing their borders, ahem Dominican Republic ahem, and we have enough resources to get ourselves back together. Haiti has always needed help, it's just that no one has cared enough about the people there until now.

Monday 25 January

By Tom Kinsey

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Sounds like their personnel problem. Sorry it happened but I'm tired of being everyones big brother. If we take care of our own and then there's something leftover, by all means let these other countries have it. With interest of course!

By JAKE

Thank you should go out to the stars of Hollywood.But I do wonder why the South did not get the support that Haiti did or will get.Iwas there for hurricanes Katrina/Rita feeding with the RED CROSS who in my book is one of the top non fo profit places to send money.I truely would like to go to Haiti to help rebuild from the ground up.If any organization is looking for people to go to Haiti to help in any way please contact me asap.Let us all show our LOVE for the people and help out. Thank you all.

By Deb

Before this benefit "Hope For Haiti", there was a report that over 500 million had already been raised also.

They were given the money that was wasted by their government. I mean, hello, did you see the palace for their leader? Just because they were given huge sums of money doesnt mean that they used it effectively

By Tracey

57 million, are you kidding me, how about OUR homeless, and all of the forgotten people on the Gulf Coast who are without homes, insurance etc....George Clooney doesnt even live in the United States most of the time, maybe he should move to Haiti and help them out. I am all for helping out the fellow man but, helping and giving starts at HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By j

i dont care

By chappy63

Most of this money will go to pay for the help, the poorest will probably never see any of it or really benefit from it.

By Troy Lynn

I really don't care about the damn Haitians...Do they not have their own goverment there? I mean where was the other countries at when we had Hurricane Katrina,The Earthquakes in Los Angeles,ETC...No Where,let them take care of them damn selves and if they are so hungry let them eat their dead :)

By Rene

I was UPSET when I heard on Larry King that the supplies are setting at the airport, and no one is there to distribute supplies. WHAT? I am happy we are all pitching in to do our part. I heard Bin Laden came out of hidding i guess he was getting jelous of the attention and the GOOD that is being placed on the people of Hatti, May the Lord rebuke Bin Ladden and bless all the workers ,Physicians and those who helped (even if it was praying) with the releaf efforts there in Hatti. Amen and Amen

By Ralph Zuccaro

Justin could have doubled the donations if he had promised to pull some chicks dress down to expose her boobs , or pull Madonnas dress of to expose her other face!

By okatsam

Let's take care of our own first!!!

By Samantha

Charity begins at home..........We have homeless and poor here too. Where was the people when the gulf coast got hit with Hurricane Katrina???????Hello

By Donovan

I have serious doubts that the PEOPLE of Haiti will see very much of, or benefit from all the monies raised to help them. At least not if their Government gets their hands on it first.

I'm sure the palace will be the first to be rebuilt, and government officials homes etc. However, I'll bet two dimes to a dough nut. The people of Haiti will no doubt, continue to be forced by their Government to live in poverty.

I truly hope all these millions of dollars can be regulated, as to insure the people will in fact have their lives, and living conditions changed for the better.

And now its our turn. Now its time to focus on our own homeless, jobless, and the people in the USA.

By Vinny

the artists could donate that much themselves, i am having financial trouble here anyone for donating? Haiti will always be poor they have no government the other half of the Island DOminican republic does so much better why ??? wonder

By Melissa

WOW they have raised 57 million and with the 100 million the US is sending from the taxpayers that alone is 157 MILLION DOLLARS....Haiti is going to be sooooo well built and sooooo wonderful now...that money will go so far in building nice safe homes, schools and hospitals...think about it...they work for such little money that Haiti is going to be like some kingdom now !!! Well atleast for a year until the savages tear it down and it looks like any US governement project that is !!!

By will

hello, i am sorry for them but all that money they are getting, how about us?

By smity95

We are wasting our money!!! Billions have been spent in Haiti and they have nothing to show for it. They dont want to help themselves. I wouldnt gine 2 cents to help those lazy worthless people. TO DANG BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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