The Jolie-Pitt Foundation donated $500,000 on Friday to the Joplin Recovery Fund for rebuilding efforts in the tornado-ravaged Missouri city. The Community Foundation of the Ozarks has raised now one million dollars to support mid- and long-term rebuilding for the residents.
Brad Pitt said in a statement, “With the devastating loss of thirty percent of the city, the Joplin community faces great challenges ahead. Having spent much of my childhood there, I know these people to be hardworking, humble and especially resilient.”
Angelina Jolie added: “Last year 42 million people worldwide were displaced by natural disasters. So often these disasters seem far away, but now the need is for thousands of people displaced right here at home. Our hearts go out to the families in Joplin who have lost so much.”
The tornado, which swept through Joplin, Missouri, on the evening of Sunday, May 22, brought winds exceeding 200 mph and destroyed more than 8,000 homes and 400 businesses. The death toll of 151, marks it as the 7th deadliest tornado in U.S. history.
Donations to the Joplin Recovery Fund can be made online at: www.cfozarks.org/donate or by check to: Community Foundation of the Ozarks, P.O. Box 8960, Springfield, MO 65801. Please note “Joplin Recovery Fund” in the fund/program box online or on your check.
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks was founded in 1973 and has since grown to include 43 affiliate community foundations. The Foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the Missouri Ozarks region through resource development, community grant making, collaboration, and public leadership.