On Air Now
The Capital Late Show with Sonny Jay 10pm - 1am
9 Times Taylor Swift Has Given Back To Her Fans And Crew
2 August 2023, 13:57 | Updated: 29 August 2024, 17:27
Taylor Swift is known for being one of the most charitable artists in pop, and her generosity expands at the same rate her discography does!
It's no secret that Taylor Swift uses her platform, wealth and resources for good, the 34-year-old star has been subtly donating money and offering a helping hand to her fans throughout her whole career.
The 'Midnights' songstress has done everything from gifting merch to her Swifties, offering financial support and most recently, giving huge bonuses to her Eras Tour staff – she always finds a way to give back!
That's right, it's not just her fans who Tay helps out, she always makes sure the team around her get the recognition and reward they deserve and on tour it was her truckers who she rewarded.
- Read more: Every Taylor Swift Song About Travis Kelce (So Far)
- Read more: Every Single Outfit Taylor Swift Wears On The Eras Tour
As you know, this most recent example isn't the first time Taylor has gone that extra mile to make a difference. Let's delve into some of our top picks of Taylor's generosity...
Taylor Swift gives bonuses to Eras Tour truckers
While raking in millions for her international Eras Tour, Taylor made sure to share the wealth with some of the important staff members who help put her show on the road.
According to TMZ Taylor gave $100k (£77,000) to each truck driver working on her tour, reportedly handing out the bonus checks before her show in Santa Clara, California on 29th July.
Taylor has around 50 truck drivers hauling about her equipment, meaning she dished out a whopping $5 million (£3.8 million).
The checks were apparently an 'end of tour' bonus as the US leg comes to a close on 9th August.
Taylor makes surprise donations to food banks on The Eras Tour
It had only been a week since Taylor's highly-anticipated tour began that the news of her latest thoughtful gesture came to light, and she continued her generosity throughout her tour, donating to food banks in the UK too.
Ahead of her opening night in Glendale, Arizona, the superstar made a large donation to the Arizona Food Bank Network.
The organisation shared their gratitude for Taylor's surprise act when speaking to local newspaper AZ Central, a rep said: "It’s not every day that you get a call from someone who works for Taylor Swift, so we were dubious at first, but happily, it turned out to be absolutely real."
The vice president of the organisation was told that Taylor intends to continue giving to local food banks in every city that the tour visits.
Not long after, a Nevada based shared that they had also received a donation ahead of Taylor's two-date stint in Las Vegas.
Taylor Swift surprises a group of York University students with massive gift package
In 2022, Taylor gave a group of York University students quite the shock following their Easter break from school!
The York Swift Society returned to campus to find a gift from the pop sensation herself – she had sent a whopping package of merchandise from all the way across the pond!
Not only did the students get a massive package full of Swift-branded clothing but also a handwritten note from Taylor – now, it doesn’t get more thoughtful than that.
The note read: “Hey University of York Swift Society, sending over some merch as a thank you for your support and also sending a big hug! Love, Taylor."
Understandably, members of the group admitted that the adorable present made them cry – we’d react in the exact same way!
Nurse receives handwritten note and 'package of cosy items' from Taylor Swift
An ultimate Swiftie, healthcare worker Britta Thomason, received a package she never thought she'd have after Taylor noticed the nurse praised the 'Folklore' singer's music in an interview.
Taylor sent special merchandise, 'cosy clothes' and a bunch of self-care items, along with a note to thank Britta for working on the frontline during the pandemic.
📦 | Taylor Swift has sent flight nurse Britta Thomason a box of merch and a handwritten note to thank her for her frontline service during Covid-19
— Taylor Swift News 💛 (@TSwiftNZ) April 14, 2021
“I wanted to personally thank you for serving on the front lines (...) I am so inspired by your passion for helping patients...” pic.twitter.com/2KM6hcdDSV
Taylor Swift and her mum match fundraising target to help widowed mum of five
On 23 March 2021, Tay and her mum Andrea combined their donations to make up the GoFundMe goal of a mother of five daughters named Vickie Quarles, she was widowed after her husband died of Covid-19 one week before Christmas.
Her target, set up by a close friend of the family, was $50,000, which Taylor and her mother matched, meaning Vickie’s fund soared past $60,000 as people continued to donate.
Taylor Swift donates $13,000 to two Nashville mothers
Taylor Swift donated around £10,000 each to two mothers struggling financially after the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in December.
The ‘Evermore’ singer was inspired to offer her help after reading a Washington Post article about the huge numbers of American citizens who were behind on rent. One of the women, Nikki Cornwell from Nashville, said she owed $5000 (£3,700) in rent when the job she was due to begin in May fell through after she tested positive for coronavirus and became extremely ill.
Taylor also made a sizeable donation to Shelbie Selewski from Michigan, who lost her job at the start of the pandemic and has found eviction notices taped to her door three times.
One thing Em has said over & over this week is “this isn’t a girl writes a letter story, it’s an anyone can write a letter story.”
— Hugh Weber (@hughweber) May 13, 2020
And, she’s right. We can all take small steps with a big impact.
But, she’s also wrong … when the woman writing the letter is @TaylorSwift13. pic.twitter.com/LylyJWdWh9
Taylor surprises 11-year-old fan with care package
Taylor Swift gave a young fan the surprise of a lifetime after she sent a care package to an 11-year-old girl who had been giving back to postal workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Emerson Weber, from South Dakota in the US, had sent a heartfelt letter to her postman, thanking him for his service which allows her to 'stay in touch’ with her friends and after the carrier, Doug, showed his boss, she started receiving loads of letters from postal workers who were appreciative of her kind act.
Emerson, a massive Swiftie, got the surprise of her life when one package in the post turned out to be from none other than her idol - the ‘Lover’ singer.
Taylor Swift keeps Nashville record store afloat during lockdown
Taylor was quietly paying to keep a Nashville record shop afloat after they were forced to shut amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The 'amazed' store owner of Grimey's New & Preloved Music revealed to Rolling Stone they received a letter from Tay's longtime publicist with the offer, leaving staff 'amazed' as she's paid for their salaries and healthcare for the next three months.
Nashville is where Taylor moved to with her family as they helped launch her singing career at 13 years old and she now owns a home there, so it holds a special place in her heart.
Taylor Swift donates thousands to fans affected by coronavirus
In March 2020, Taylor donated thousands of dollars to fans who took a hit financially due to the coronavirus pandemic forcing businesses to shut down across the globe.
The ‘Lover’ singer messaged people on Twitter to ask where she should send the money, after noticing some Swifties’ tweets revealing they’ve lost their jobs or were facing eviction.
Listen live to Capital, and catch up on any shows you missed, on Global Player.
