The Weeknd Donates 4 Million Emergency Meals, Boosting Humanitarian Aid in Gaza
On Friday (Dec 1), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced that Grammy Award winner and WFP Goodwill Ambassador The Weekend allocated $2.5 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund to bolster the WFP's humanitarian efforts in Gaza.
The donation, amounting to four million emergency meals, will provide funding for 820 metric tons of food parcels (approximately 1.8 million pounds), capable of sustaining over 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks, according to the organization.
In a statement, the WFP emphasized that the contribution from the "Blinding Lights" singer arrives at a crucial juncture in WFP's efforts “as it races to feed more than one million Gazans on the verge of starvation.”
The Weeknd, who now goes by his birth name Abel Tesfaye, was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador in Oct. 2021. He has actively supported WFP's global hunger relief initiatives, contributing $1.8 million through his XO fund.
Corinne Fleischer, WFP's Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe Region, highlighted the need for secure and sustained humanitarian access.
“We thank Abel for this valuable contribution towards the people of Palestine. We hope others will follow Abel’s example and support our efforts,” Fleischer said.
Additionally, The Weeknd pledged to donate the equivalent of $1 from each concert ticket sold during the global leg of his After Hours 'til Dawn stadium tour in 2024 to the XO Humanitarian Fund.
