Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's $2M donation earns praise from fallen first responder families
LOS ANGELES, NEW YORK: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have received heartfelt messages from families of fallen first responders and nonprofit leaders after donating $2 million to Answer the Call NYC ahead of their star-studded wedding.
The New York-based organization, which provides financial support to police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel, thanked the couple for their generosity.
The donation was one of several charitable contributions made before the pair married at Madison Square Garden on July 3.
Families praise Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce donation
Patricia Polimeni, the wife of fallen NYPD detective Jack Polimeni, who died in 2020, shared an emotional message in an Instagram statement. “I know firsthand how much the support of this organization means to families like mine,” Patricia wrote.
She continued, “Your donation is so much more than a financial gift. It provides hope, comfort and sense of community for families who are learning to navigate life after the loss of someone who dedicated their life to serving others.”
Amanda Rivera, the daughter of NYPD officer William Rivera, who died in 2004, also thanked the couple. “Early in those first years following my Dad’s passing, it was hard to find our way and find support for my mom and me,” she wrote.
She continued, “We felt so alone in our grief and thought no one knew what we were going through. We found a community where people knew what the other has been through and made friends who eventually became family.”
Amanda also reflected on the opportunities the organization provided. “The organization has given me so many opportunities and experiences that I never thought I would experience, like throwing out the first pitch at a New York Mets game, attending concerts and much more.”
Allison Garger also shared how the organization supported her family after losing her husband, Thomas J Kennedy, in the Sept 11, 2001, attack. “Taylor and Travis, this is amazing what you are doing,” she wrote, adding, “We have been fans of yours forever! … We are forever grateful!”
Dolly Parton applauds Swift, Kelce generosity
Lauren Profeta, the executive director of Answer the Call, also thanked the couple.
“We are extremely grateful to Taylor and Travis for their incredible support,” Profeta wrote in a statement, adding, “Their extraordinary donation will ensure that we can continue to provide much-needed financial assistance to the families of New York City’s fallen first responders.”
She concluded her remarks, “We thank them for their kindness, their generosity and for their fulfillment to our collective promise to Never Forget.”
It was reported that the duo had donated $26 million to several charities throughout the United States, including Education Through Music, Answer the Call, Musical Mentors Collaborative, City Harvest Food Rescue Center, Food Bank for NYC, and New York Cares.
Dolly Parton also thanked Swift and Kelce for donating $2 million to her Imagination Library. In an Instagram Reel shared on July 3, Parton said, “Taylor and Travis, it’s Dolly, and I was just told that you two were making a donation of $2 million to my Imagination Library. I’m blown away and overjoyed with that gratitude.”
She added, “Now, it’s evident, that you have made giving back a key part of your lives, so hey, when you have you firstborn, can I have it? Because that is gonna be one special baby!”
Parton continued, “You know the mission of the Dollywood Foundation is to dream more, care more, learn more and be more, and thank you again for your very generous gift. And, we’ll continue that mission even in bigger ways now with your money.”
Concluding the video, she said, “So, thank you, and know that I will always love you,” before ending the clip in song and blowing a kiss to the camera.
