Yahoo Finance ‘So lucky’: Taylor Swift’s $35,000 gift to two mums facing eviction
Pop star Taylor Swift has donated US$26,000 (AU$35,000) in total to two GoFundMe campaigns supporting two mothers facing evictions in the US.
Swift, whose favourite number is 13, donated US$13,000 to each campaign: one supporting Nikki Cornwell, and one supporting Shelbie Selewski, after reading a hardship story in the Washington Post.
Cornwell’s GoFundMe states her rent was around US$5,000 in arrears, and was facing an eviction hearing in January. The mother of three said she wasn’t sure her kids would have a Christmas.
“This has been a horrible year for us...I just need to get on my feet. I feel like I'm drowning,” Cornwell said.
She was supposed to start a job in May, but tested positive for Covid-19, and her family also contracted the virus.
"I'm so sorry for everything you've had to go through this year and wanted to send you this gift, from one Nashville girl to another," Swift wrote on the GoFundMe for Cornwell.
Cornwell has received more than US$22,000 in donations since the GoFundMe started two days ago.
Selewski’s GoFundMe states she lost her job earlier in the year due to Covid-19, and her daughter was born with a collapsed lung, making her a high risk for Covid-19.
“No one should have to feel the kind of stress that's been put on you. I hope you and your beautiful family have a great holiday season,” the pop star wrote to Selewski.
Selewski told NBC News she saw the Washington Post had asked for readers to submit hardship stories, and she spoke to a journalist not long after.
“I have never thought to make a GoFundMe but with Christmas approaching I just didn’t know what else to do,” her fundraiser stated.
“We would be grateful for any help. The money will go directly to keeping our lights on this holiday season and trying to pay some rent so we aren't evicted. Any leftover money will go toward the kids.”
Selewski said she felt “so lucky” to have received the donations.
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