Today East Africa is suffering from the worst drought in 60 years. Many children in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya are having to walk for days to get water. Some are sick. Some are malnourished. Some don't make it. In Ethiopia there are millions of kids that aren't able to turn on the tap to get a glass of water or even get a full meal. That's a lot of people. What does millions even look like? Did you know that there are more people in desperate need of food in East Africa than all the people that right now live in New York. But even though the number sounds really big, we can really help!
In a situation so desperate, it doesn't take much to help save one life. Imagine if this was you and you were born into these desperate conditions... wouldn't you want people who are more fortunate than you to lend a hand? After visiting Ethiopia and meeting the gentle and friendly people in the rural areas, I can't stand by while so many of them are suffering.
On Thursday, August 11th, I was blessed with the opportunity to play a benefit concert for Glimmer's Emergency Relief Campaign at the Driskill Hotel. With more than 120 people in attendance, the atmosphere was magical. It was pretty incredible to get to play to a crowd that was literally buzzing with excitement. We were all among friends, family, and others who shared our passion for helping those who so desperately need it. To top off the wonderful night, over $7,700 was raised for emergency relief efforts. That is a huge success! All of this money will go to Glimmer's relief partners who are working to save lives.
Glimmer has prepared a video recap of the concert. I hope you will take a few moments to watch the video and experience some of the magic of that night.
3 ways you can help!
- Get the scoop. Read articles online about the drought. Stay updated by following Glimmer on Twitter or check out their Facebook page.
- Raise your voice. Make some noise with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, everywhere. Your voice can be the voice of another kid who doesn't have one.
- On average, people in Africa live on $2 a day. Small contributions can make a big difference and change a life. With Glimmer, 100% of the funds will go to their international NGO partners on the ground helping to provide water, food, medical care, and shelter to those who need it most.
