Country music star Kenny Chesney needs your help to assist the U.S. and British Virgin Islands after the region was hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In the spirit of the community he’s been a part of for two decades, Chesney began Love for Love City to identify pressing local needs, create opportunities for companies to donate supplies, food, physical goods or transport and people to contribute to the ongoing rebuilding of the islands.
“Getting supplies in is hard. Finding places for workers to stay is even harder now that Hurricane Maria has done so much damage to St. Croix,” Chesney shared in a new statement. “Because it’s so hard to get even the basic supplies in, let alone the news media, people really aren’t seeing how devastating these hurricanes have been.”
The Tennessee native has personally sent planeloads of food, water, medical supplies, generators, tools, clothes, tarps, and camping equipment. He has also taken many people and their pets off the islands to the mainland in an attempt to lessen the strain on supplies across the various islands.
Currently vetting various local and national relief organizations, Love for Love City seeks to insure the money and materials generated get to the people who truly need them. “With all the crisis across the country, it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed, or to respond to the first person who reaches out. In St. John and the other surrounding islands, there is so much more to the needs than just materials. We have to get the equipment necessary there… We need to figure out how to shelter workers rebuilding the community… We have to understand, too, that entire communities have been wiped out.
“Food? Water? Medical care? These things are all in an emergency state. That’s where we have to start… and it’s going to take time, careful thought and making some good decisions. But the number of meetings, calls and conferences I’ve been in or on over the last several days? It’s an education, but it’s also part of doing this is in a way that will matter. Right now, making sure the people in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands aren’t forgotten in all the other equally troubling stories is critical.”
Chesney cautions people who wish to help to be careful of all charities claiming to be affiliated with or through his name, or any of the entities he is affiliated with. Love for Love City is the sole charity Chesney is working through – and all resources collected will be distributed through Love for Love City after proper evaluation.
More information about the country music star’s efforts can be found here. Please share Kenny’s charitable push with others looking for ways to help!
