Kevin Hart Calls On Celebs For 'Hurricane Harvey Relief Challenge'

HOUSTON – Actor and comedian Kevin Hart is asking celebrities to donate $25,000 to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts via the American Red Cross, as he leads the charge giving $50,000.

"I'm calling this the Hurricane Harvey Relief Challenge. ... Lets go," Hart wrote Sunday on Instagram, calling out by name such Hollywood friends as Jay Z, Beyonce, Steve Harvey, Justin Timberlake, Chris Rock, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld.

Hart said that he was donating $25,000 and hopes others will follow his lead. "When you do it, you should tag someone else." (For more hurricane news or local news from Houston, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Houston Patch, and click here to find your local Texas Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Like Houston Patch on Facebook; story continues below.

This morning, however, Hart said he upped his contribution to $50,000. "I know alot of my friends will follow," he said on Twitter.

"Help me help Houston," Hart wrote.

The link to the "Hurricane Harvey Donation / Kevin Hart" fundraiser is here. After one hour online, donations totaled more than $80,000.

ALSO SEE:

• Hurricane Harvey Regroups As Houston Rescues and Recovers
• S.O.S. Photo Saves Hurricane Harvey-Trapped Nursing Home Elderly
• Hurricane Harvey: How You Can Help (Updated)

Over 30,000 People Might Need Shelter After Harvey

--Image via Creative Commons/Wikimedia/Eva Rinaldi