Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie Donate $500,000 to Joplin Tornado Relief

By Christine Fenno Posted Jun 11th 2011 11:09AM

The Jolie-Pitt Foundation announced a donation on Friday of $500,000 to aid recovery efforts in Joplin, Missouri, after a tornado brought death and destruction to the area last month.

"With the devastating loss of 30 percent of the city, the Joplin community faces great challenges ahead," said Brad Pitt. "Having spent much of my childhood there, I know these people to be hardworking, humble and especially resilient."

Angelina Jolie added: "Our hearts go out to the families in Joplin who have lost so much."

The Kansas City Star reports that the couple's donation will benefit the Joplin Recovery Fund.

The tornado that directly hit Joplin in May destroyed miles of the city, including a hospital, in mere minutes. The death toll has topped 150. In the aftermath, victims are now reportedly fighting a lethal fungus stirred up by the twister.

Pitt's ties to Missouri run deep. Born in Okalahoma, Pitt was raised with his sister and brother in Springfield, Mo., attending Kickapoo High School and the University of Missouri. Pitt left the college weeks before graduating to launch an acting career in Los Angeles, where he took odd jobs and acting lessons until fame struck. The actor knows a thing or two about rebuilding after a natural disaster, ever since he became actively involved in designing housing for hurricane-ravaged New Orleans in recent years.

Tags: angelina jolie, brad pitt, brangelina

Comments

(126)

Saturday 11 June

By chicobombico

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I think it is great they donted some money to the people of Joplin. They are certainly a cut above the rest.

Now what will the bloodsucking Clinton's part with, the Bushes?, the whole dam bloodsucking Washington gang.

ONCE AGAIN ANGELINA AND BRAD THANK YOU FOR CARING!!!

By betty

Always, Brad, the first to step up, as he did for Katrina...how many others did you see there...Harry Connick Jr,yes,,, but what happened to the Oprah's, the Beyonces, the Jayzs of the world? Didn't see any of them down there helping the people..And also, as with Katrina, the President will be absent,and as he said in the "speech he gave there, it will be neighbor taking care of neighbor in that area.... He didn't win that state in the election,so he won't go out of his way to help them, i thought he appeared very "removed " from this catastrophy. He was right on top of the foreign country disasters.

By Lisa

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Thanks Brad and Angelina......Washington is good for nothing.....no heirarchy Washington, London, none of them will give anything bet ya?? Brad you trying to look like Billy Bob Thornton or what???? What happened to the real Brad Pitt?

By leon

YUP they are mighty fine people. Kudos to both of them.

By tom

To bad they could not give a couple of thousand to Hackleburg and Phil Campbell Al for the tornado that went thru there. Destruction wise both of these places were wiped out. I guess they could not get enough press from those 2 towns to make a donation worth while. I will remember that the next time one of their films are released.

Sunday 12 June

By OfAlaska

Kudos. And don't forget (did you even know?) that Taylor Swift raised nearly a million in one night for tornado relief weeks ago during her incredibly busy tour schedule. Twenty-one years old, and gold...

By New York

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Many people contribute unnanimously & do not want to be acknowledged or the attention. And then there are those like Angie & Brad.

By Mar51

Maybe the Clintons and Bush Family donated anonymously. I am not big Joliie/Pitt fans, but I think it is nice for them to donate. However, it loses a little of the shine by publicizing their donation so much.

By Brian

A wonderful gesture by good Americans helping Americans.
Should see more of this.

By Kaseys Angel

Absolutely right Brian, instead of being in other countries like Iran and Irack and Libiya. What wonderful people Angie and Brad are! But I think I know why we dont see Al Sharpton, or Rev Jesse Jackson out there...cause there aint as many black folk. Not trying to be racist or anything but, really...why havent they both been out there helping, donating time or yes..money? Those people lost everything,money would help out find.

Brian just look around. Americans are always helping Americans. They just don't advertise their good deeds.

By LAURA

To New York...you seem very sour.

By Claudia Cummings

Of course this is great news....no one else stepped up to the plate, and this made it a fine opportunity for the 2 opportunists to once again get media coverage for a good deed. Why not donate anonymously? Because then, they wouldn't get the ego trip they need for doing this good deed. A truly good deed is one done without fanfare of a need to stand out. I don't care what these 2 media dogs do that is good, they are nothing more than opportunists who seek attention. I don't care who is offended by my opinion..I stand by it and no amount of hate responses will change that.

By David

Claudia, of course this is GREAT news, by two people who are CONSTANTLY giving of their time AND money to places and people. This isn't done for media hype, per say, but more in line with trying to get others of wealth and/or recognition to also step up and give help. I don't 'hate you' for your stand, and respect you for your own opinion, but in doing a good deed, whether for publicity's sake or not, it is STILL a good deed, because people are being helped, and hopefully others seeing this will also donate time/money, and THAT is the bottom line.

By HRoss

And what have YOU done to help?

Publicity or not, at least they're willing and able to help those in need. That's a lot more than we can say about most people.

By Steve Gamble

Poor Cluadia, your anger towards these two is misplaced. Do they always make a fanfare about their chairty? Yes. Is that true charity? No. But they do good by what they do. Doing good, even for the wrong reason, is doing good just the same. You need not join the chorus celebrating them but neither need you disparage them for giving to Joplin's relief efforts.

By renee

what are you on woman.... they dont give to get noticed... they are already noticed.... they do it because the clearly have good hearts and want to help whom ever they can.. where ever they can...

By Coleen

Claudia, I disagree. Maybe by speaking out about it they will keep Joplin in the news and make people aware that is still a lot to be done. You sound really bitter and angry - maybe if you would do something for someone else you will understand the power of giving. Often what you get in return far exceeds the cost to you.

By sharon

You jerk

By psmithtx

...hmmm Claudia - as far as anonimity goes....do you donate household goods and clothing to the various charities in place for the simple reason of giving to others what you do not need...or do you give so that you can get a tax deduction? There's a million people out there that give, and deduct....that does not make their donation any less useful... I rather would think that celebrity couples would donate with their identification so that there would be a challenge to other celebs to step up too...and who's to tell whether many celebs have ALREADY donated and chose to remain anonymous??? I think they did right.

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