John Legend donates 5k to school lunch campaign
John Legend has donated $5,000 to a campaign to help erase school lunch debts in Seattle.
The 38-year-old singer/songwriter contributed to a GoFundMe campaign – which was set up by Jeff Lew in order to reduce the nearly $21,000 total school lunch debt at 99 Seattle public schools – after he saw it on Twitter.
John made the donation under his real name, John Stephens, and Lew emailed him to ask if he was the singer.
He wrote: "By the way, are you also known as John Legend? Regardless of who you are or not, thank you. You’ve helped a lot."
Lew told the Seattle Times that John replied: "Yes, it’s me," and explained that he had seen the campaign on Twitter.
Although John has no ties to the area, his wife Chrissy Teigen grew up in nearby Snohomish, Washington.
Lew also publicly thanked the star on Twitter and John responded by saying: "My pleasure! We should have free lunch for all of our public students."
Meanwhile, John recently recorded a touching message for one of the families of the 22 people killed in the Manchester terror attack which took place after an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena last week.
The singer – who has 13-month-old daughter Luna with his wife Chrissy – paid tribute to 15-year-old Olivia Campbell, who was one of the victims killed during the attack, as he said "can’t imagine" the pain her mother Charlotte and step-dad Paul are going through.
Olivia was a fan of John’s music and had sung a rendition of his hit single ‘All of Me’ at a talent show, which her parents are now trying to get into the charts in order to raise money for the victims and their families.
In a recorded message played on UK television show ‘Good Morning Britain’, John said: "Hello Paul and Charlotte, this is John Legend. I can’t imagine the pain you’re going through. I have a young daughter and I can’t imagine the feeling you must be going through right now to have to bury your own daughter.
"I understand that she was a fan of my music and she sang my song ‘All Of Me’ at a talent show, and that you played it at her memorial service. I want to thank you for playing the song and let you know that I was so moved by your daughter’s performance of the song that I want to send you as much love as I can send you from far away, and as much sympathy and condolences as I can send you.
"I know it won’t make up for the loss you’re feeling right now, but any love we can send you we want to send you right now and wish you all the best. Take care."
