Ciara and Russell Wilson are putting major resources behind hunger relief in Atlanta.

On Tuesday (December 23), Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens accompanied the Atlanta native star at Saint Peter Missionary Baptist Church to announce a donation of $500,000 to support hunger relief across her hometown. The donation was made through Ciara and Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation at the Atlanta Cares Hub, bringing together community partners, city officials, and faith-based community leaders during the season of gifting and giving. 

The funding is set to go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and ATL Cares, which are the city's emergency food distribution initiatives that focus primarily on the southwest Atlanta neighborhoods. “This donation means more meals and food for people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to eat,” Mayor Dickens said. “It gives families a little bit of breathing room during this time of the year.” According to the President and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Kyle Waide, the contribution will help to provide over one million meals across the metro area. 

Ciara shared that the effort comes from a deeply personal place. During the event, the Grammy Award–winning singer spoke about the critical need to address hunger and its impact on families, especially children, throughout the city. “One in six children goes to bed hungry, and that has to change,” Ciara said. “Our hope is that the gift of nourishment and security will empower more youth and families across Atlanta to reach for their dreams andlead each day with the ‘Why Not You’ attitude.”

Founded in 2014, the Why Not You Foundation is dedicated to empowering young people to lead with confidence and purpose while providing resources tied to education, children’s health, and efforts to combat poverty and hunger.