Justin Bieber Donates From Upcoming Concert To Needy Elementary School On ‘Ellen’
Justin Bieber is giving back again. During a surprise appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the 21-year-old pledged a dollar from each ticket sold from an upcoming Purpose Tour show to an elementary-middle school in Detroit.
The pop icon’s gift will be raised from tickets sold from his forthcoming Michigan concert at the city stadium. In real terms, that translates to thousands of dollars, which will be donated to the Spain Elementary-Middle School in Detroit.
Bieber’s substantial pledge adds to the $500,000 in goods given to the school by the show, together with the home improvement store, Lowe’s.
During the show, which will air on Thursday, DeGeneres explained why the Spain Elementary-Middle School is in need of funds, due to cuts, and has been making national headlines because of that. Currently, the performing arts school doesn’t have adequate roofing. It also doesn’t have heating, and students wear coats and move around in classes to keep warm.
The school also suffers from a lack of books and functions with only one computer per class, most of which do not work. In addition to a depleted teaching staff, the funds shortage has increased safety hazard conditions because repairs have not been done.
Before Bieber (literally) popped up on the show, DeGeneres announced the breakdown of how the funds were to be given to the school to Principal Ronald Alexander, his teaching staff, and the children, via a satellite link-up,
First, the comic-host said Lowe’s would be donating a $100 Visa gift card to every teacher. She then announced Lowe’s would donate $50,000 in technology, as computers were wheeled out. DeGeneres also revealed the store would assist the school with its “Heroes” program, enabling technicians and laborers to carry out repairs at the school to the tune of $200,000 worth of material and labor.
At that point, Ellen teased another surprise, which was the cue for Bieber to jump up from an innocuous-looking table next to her on the set.
Shortly after, the “Sorry” singer told Alexander and his staff, “We’re actually going to give a dollar from every ticket to your school.”
Ellen DeGeneres, Justin Bieber, Lowe’s donate to Detroit’s Spain Elementary-Middle School. https://t.co/s0KQ4NOi6R pic.twitter.com/tsqFMmWml0
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) February 11, 2016
Ellen explained that Bieber’s financial pledge to the Elementary-Middle School isn’t his first charitable contribution. The superstar donated a dollar from each ticket sold at his previous concerts to Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization which build schools and provides educational resources in developing countries around the world. The Biebs’ support of the organization is ongoing.
In November, 2013, the Biebs physically helped volunteers build a school in an impoverished area in Guatemala in Central America during his Believe Tour. He subsequently spoke about his experience in an emotional video.
Back in the studio, Ellen praised Bieber for taking time out of the Purpose Tour rehearsals while noting that the singer has consistently helped under-privileged children during his career. Bieber will be playing hits from his latest, and acclaimed, Purpose album during the tour, as well as his older catalogue.
Amid grateful whoops from the school principal, staff, and studio audience, DeGeneres revealed her last surprise. Lowe’s will be donating another $250,000 to the school. That’s a $500,000 total, added to the thousands which will be raised by Bieber’s concert ticket pledge.
Finally, the host invited viewers to get involved in helping the school by donating to GoFundMe account which The Ellen DeGeneres show has set up.
Over recent years, Bieber’s charitable efforts include his continuing work with the Make-A-Wish foundation, which grants one “wish” to terminally or chronically ill children and teens. Out of the all artists who work with foundation, Bieber holds the record as the largest contributor of wishes. He has supported MAW since the start of his career.
In fact, back in July, 2014, Bieber was presented with the Champ of Charity award at the Young Hollywood awards in 2014 for his philanthropy. In December, 2013, the singer raised over $3 million with the fans for survivors of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Bieber visited the island and performed an acoustic concert at a refugee camp for those in need.
The singer also donated thousands and performed a Christmas concert at the then-struggling Whitney Elementary school in Las Vegas, in 2011, and contributed to a larder stock-up 2013 during another personal visit.
Fast forward to May, 2014, the Biebs donated over $500,000 at the Amfar fundraiser in Cannes, France, to raise money for continued research to finding a cure for AIDS.
[Images via Michael Rozman/Warner Bros]
