Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund Established By Santa Monica's MusiCares

SANTA MONICA, CA – A relief fund to support members of the music community affected by Hurricane Harvey has been established by MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the Santa Monica-based Recording Academy, it was announced Tuesday.

The funds will go towards basic living expenses such as shelter, food, utilities, and transportation; medical expenses, including doctor and hospital bills, and medications; clothing; instrument and recording equipment replacement; relocation costs; home repairs; debris removal; and more, a statement said.

To donate to the fund, visit the website and choose "Hurricane Relief" in the gift designation drop-down menu. Music people seeking assistance can contact the South Regional MusiCares office at (615) 327-0050 or toll-free at (877) 626-2748, or apply online here. MusiCares' services are completely confidential.

"Now is a time when we must come together and take care of those who need help, as we are only just beginning to understand how life-altering Hurricane Harvey will be for its victims and their communities," said Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares. "It's important that we step up and support the creative community, and take action to provide immediate assistance to members of our music family."

The Recording Academy has also implemented a Hurricane Harvey employee donation program, which matches donations made by its staff dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000, the statement said.

Previous disaster relief efforts were organized for victims of the Gulf and Nashville floods, as well as Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina.

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City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Shutterstock