Taylor Swift Pledges $1 Million to American Heart Association in Tribute to Her Father
In a profound display of holiday philanthropy, Taylor Swift has donated $1 million to the American Heart Association (AHA). The organization announced the contribution on Tuesday, December 23, noting that the gift was made to honor the singer’s father, Scott Swift, who underwent significant heart surgery earlier this year.
The AHA intends to utilize the funds to bolster its mission of combating cardiovascular disease and stroke. Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, praised the singer’s commitment to the cause. “Taylor Swift’s extraordinary generosity will catalyze meaningful change far beyond its immediate financial impact,” Brown stated. She highlighted that Swift’s personal connection to heart health—a condition affecting nearly half of all American adults—will serve as a powerful catalyst for public awareness and prevention efforts.
Brown also drew a poetic parallel between the AHA’s mission and the global pop icon’s signature “heart hands” gesture. “At the American Heart Association, we utilize that same gesture to honor everyone affected by this disease—parents, siblings, and spouses alike,” she added. “Our hope is that this collective movement will drive lasting change for future generations.”
The 14-time Grammy winner previously touched upon the health challenges facing her family during an August appearance on the New Heights podcast, hosted by her fiancé, Travis Kelce. Swift described the experience of caring for her father following a quintuple bypass surgery to clear five major blockages. She humorously recalled how, immediately after the procedure, her father attempted to distribute guitar picks to his medical team while still in his hospital gown. Reflecting on the “parent-child role reversal,” Swift noted that after a lifetime of her father building play sets for her, she found herself assembling his walker and shower chair during his recovery.
The AHA contribution was not Swift’s only act of major charity this week. On the same day, Feeding America confirmed that the superstar had donated another $1 million to support hunger relief efforts. Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, expressed gratitude for the “powerful reminder” of the impact of unity in the fight against food insecurity.
These philanthropic milestones coincide with the digital premiere of the final two chapters of her The End of an Era docuseries, which recently debuted on Disney+.
