Country music star Taylor Swift donated $50,000 of profits from her hit song “Welcome to New York” to the public schools in New York City, according to MSNBC. Unfortunately, her generous gesture didn’t get quite the response one would anticipate.
Noted on the New York Daily News, a critic posted a tweet, “Taylor Swift giving $50,000 to NYC schools is like me throwing a quarter at a homeless guy.”
Another joined in, “Almost enough to pay a teacher!”
Some are questioning Swift’s donation and comparing her to others in the limelight and what they have given. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, donated $100 million of his own fortune in 2010 to Newark’s Public School system.
Swift was named most charitable celeb on DoSomething.org’s Gone Good list in December of 2014 as a result of her philanthropic efforts. In 2013, she donated $4 million to Nashville’s Hall of Fame to endow the Taylor Swift education center too.
Her random acts of kindness don’t stop there. Earlier this year, she sent a fan a package with her photo, a necklace, and a hand-painted watercolor. She also gave the fan nearly $2,000 to wipe out student loans.
In my opinion, the backlash surrounding Swift’s donation is really sad and unwarranted. While $50,000 may seem like a small donation to some people, it is far from it. Think of all the good that money can do for some very deserving students. Swift very graciously wanted to give her money to help students in New York City and her act should be commended. Based on this donation and her past donation efforts, she takes education seriously.
The singer-songwriter’s publicist confirmed to the New York Times that this donation is the first and that she intends to donate further proceeds of the track to NYC schools.