Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump announced on Wednesday that a dozen charities will share in $1 million of their personal fortune donated to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army are the largest grantees, receiving 300,000 each.
Reach Out America, a Georgia-based children’s charity, and Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian group run by Rev. Franklin Graham, will each get $100,000.
CALM BETWEEN THE STORMS: As Hurricane Irma threatens to strike Florida and Puerto Rico, The first family is donating $1 million to a dozen charities working to clean up and restore Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey
Trump, shown last Saturday in Houston, took some suggestions about worthy charities from journalists who cover his administration, and used some of them
The remaining $200,000 will be divided equally, $25,000 apiece, between eight other nonprofits including two animal charities – the ASPCA and the Houston Humane Society.
Houston Humane is a regional pet sheltering organization and, like most shelters, it is not affiliated with the larger Humane Society of the United States.
Other recipients of $25,000 from the first family’s bank account include Catholic Charities, Direct Relief, Habitat for Humanity, Operation Blessing, Portlight Inclusive Disaster Strategies and Team Rubicon.
The multi-billionaire president made his $1 million pledge last week, and sent a request through his press secretary for ideas from reporters about which organizations should benefit.
Several of the organizations ‘were recommended, at the invitation of the President, by members of the White House Press Corps,’ the office of White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday in a statement, ‘and he would like to thank those who made recommendations for their attention to this important cause.’
‘The President and First Lady continue to pray for the people of Texas and Louisiana.’
The White House said President and Mrs. Trump ‘witnessed the work of some of these groups first hand while visiting with hurricane survivors, first responders, volunteers, and Federal, State, and local officials, and are proud to further assist the recovery efforts in Texas.’
The White House released the list of charity recipients as Trump arrived in Bismarck, North Dakota, for a tax policy speech
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Tuesday that the president pledged the $1 million from his personal wealth, but Sanders’ deputy hedged on that Wednesday
Sanders said last week that the money would ‘help the people of Texas and Louisiana,’ but the statement referred only to relief efforts in the Lone Star State.
Sanders said Tuesday that the funds would come from the Trump’s own pockets.
‘I know there were a lot of questions over the weekend. That will be a personal donation of $1 million from the president to various organizations and charities, many of which came from this room,’ she said.
White House correspondents speculated last week that the $1 million might come from the Trump Foundation, a nonprofit that the president himself stopped funding with his own money years ago.
Sanders’ deputy, Lindsay Walters, told reporters on Wednesday that she couldn’t be sure.
‘The President and First Lady are making this donation. I believe it is from them,’ she said.
‘I will confirm that for you, but I believe it is their personal account.’
During the 2016 presidential campaign Trump came under fire for repeatedly announcing charitable donations but allegedly not following through.
Trump isn’t the first famous person to donate as many have rallied to aid in the relief efforts for those effected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and along the Gulf Coast.