Key Takeaways
- Ciara and Russell Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation has made a $500,000 donation to support food access efforts across Atlanta.
- The funds will help provide over one million meals through the Atlanta Community Food Bank and ATL Cares.
- Other artists, including Lil Baby and Lil Yachty, are also contributing to local community efforts this season.
Ciara is giving back to Atlanta — the city she reps — in a major way. The Grammy-winning artist joined Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens on Tuesday (Dec. 23) at Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church to announce a $500,000 donation aimed to combat food insecurity across the city. While the gift was made through the Why Not You Foundation — which Ciara co-founded with her husband, NFL quarterback Russell Wilson — it was Ciara who showed up in person to help deliver the message.
According to a press release, the announcement took place at the Southwest Atlanta Cares Hub, bringing together city officials, faith leaders, and community partners during a season when the need for food assistance continues to rise.
The majority of the funding will go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, with a significant portion also supporting ATL Cares, the city’s emergency food distribution initiative focused on southwest Atlanta neighborhoods. City leaders emphasized that the donation comes at a critical moment, particularly as families navigate higher living costs and delays in federal food assistance. “This donation means more meals and food for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to eat,” Dickens said at the event, according to CBS News. “It gives families a little bit of breathing room during this time of year.”
Kyle Waide, president and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said the contribution will help provide more than one million meals across the metro area. “That couldn’t come at a more urgent time than right now,” Waide said.
For Ciara, an Atlanta-area native, returning home to address hunger was deeply personal. She spoke about the urgency of food insecurity and its impact on children and families throughout the city. “One in six children goes to bed hungry, and that has to change,” Ciara added. “Our hope is that the gift of nourishment and security will empower more youth and families across Atlanta to reach for their dreams and lead each day with the ‘Why Not You’ attitude.”
Founded in 2014, the Why Not You Foundation focuses on education, children’s health, food security, and the fight against poverty, with a mission centered on empowering young people to lead with confidence and purpose.
Lil Baby and Lil Yachty join Atlanta’s wave of giving back
Ciara’s appearance also comes amid a broader wave of celebrity-led giving in Atlanta. Just a few days earlier, Lil Baby and Lil Yachty teamed up through The Jones Project and The Lil Yachty Foundation to host a massive holiday giveaway in the city’s West End, serving more than 2,000 local youth with toys, bikes, coats, and essentials — underscoring how Atlanta’s artists continue to show up for their community.