Taylor Swift’s wedding spurs fandom-led philanthropy

It’s a love story beyond the New York City nonprofit sector’s wildest dreams – as Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s Madison Square Garden wedding last month continues to inspire Swifties to fill the blank space on volunteer applications and donor rolls.

On Thursday, over two hundred Swift fans gathered for an evening of volunteering at P.S. 20 Anna Silver on the Lower East Side, to pack over 2,200 backpacks for students in need across New York City. Hosted by New York Cares, one of the 20 recipients of Swift and Kelce’s $26 million in charitable contributions ahead of their July 3 nuptials, the event seized on the growing spark of fandom inspired philanthropy.

“I think this really became for us, a gift three times over,” New York Cares Executive Director Sapreet Kaur Saluja said about the celebrity couple’s donation – which inspired fans to also give. “What we noticed was that a couple donations came through at very particular numbers, and very quickly we thought to ourselves, ‘Oh my gosh, this is one of the most values-aligned, passionate fandoms in the world.’”

What followed was a donor campaign aimed at harnessing that fandom, as New York Cares began offering donation suggestions of $13, $26, $87 and $198.90 – numbers symbolic to the Swift fanbase.

“The donations kept coming in. And then we put a call out: what if we could raise donations from 1989 individuals?” Saluja said, referring to Swift’s album named after her birth year. “We're at just about 800 now and we're very close to $25,000 raised.”

But the giving didn’t stop there. New York Cares sought to galvanize this donor base through its Stand with Students campaign, by converting them into first-time volunteers. With 350 partner organizations, the nonprofit boasts one of the city’s largest volunteer forces – with its flagship annual coat drive having distributed 52,732 coats during the last 37 years.

At Thursday’s fully booked “Are You Ready For It: Pack Backpacks for Students” event, volunteers filled a gymnasium blasting Swift’s hits, clad in Taylor Swift Eras Tour t-shirts and friendship bracelets.

“I love volunteering, but it’s my first time with New York Cares,” said Mona Ghounem. “Wouldn't it be smart if they did this with each celebrity that donates? People will be like, ‘This is where the money's going, come and volunteer with us.’”

Many others also noted that the event’s Taylor Swift theme was a major pull.

“My younger daughter saw the event posted online and sent it to me, and was mom will you come with us,” said Katie Smith, wearing matching Eras Tour t-shirts with her daughter.

For organizations like New York Cares, this growing turnout indicates a hopeful shift within a sector that continues to struggle to meet demand.

“What we have seen is our partners really having a hard time,” said Saluja. “They have had budget cuts. They have anxiety. They have more clients than ever, and they're coming to us consistently asking, ‘What more can our volunteers take on?’”

But increasing need continues to be met with a growing number of volunteers. New York Cares is aiming to reach over 70,000 volunteers this year, and has already counted over 66,000 participants.

And Swifties are among those stepping up.

“I know that donating is the easiest route,” said Ghounem. “Taking a couple buses and going and doing this thing is a lot harder. But it’s even more rewarding because you actually see the fruits of the money.”