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Travis Scott on Tuesday announced that he was launching Project Heal - a youth-focused philanthropic initiative through Cactus Jack Foundation in Texas. The initiative will provide $5 million for various initiatives that tackle the challenges faced by today’s youth, especially the marginalized and at-risk communities.
The initiative will focus on four main pillars, including academic scholarships, free mental health resources, a creative design center, and ideate tech-driven solutions for event safety.
Of the $5 million, $1 million will go to the Waymon Webster scholarship for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUS). Scott’s initiative will donate "seven figures" to providing free mental health hotlines and digital counseling. He will also donate an expansion to the CACTUS Youth Design Center - a nonprofit providing free space to young artists, designers, and tech innovators.
The announcement comes months after the November 2021 Astroworld Festival tragedy that left 10 people dead and hundreds injured. Scott recently said:
"Over the past few months I’ve been taking the time and space to grieve, reflect and do my part to heal my community. Most importantly, I want to use my resources and platform moving forward towards actionable change."
He further wrote,
"My team and I created Project HEAL to take much needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be. I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever.”
Travis Scott's Astroworld concert tragedy shook the industry
On 5 November 2021, Travis Scott’s Astroworld concert turned into a mass tragedy as it left several injured and multiple dead following a huge stampede at the Houston venue. Nearly 17 people were immediately hospitalized, of which around 11 suffered cardiac arrest.
After the incident, the rapper was cut from multiple brand partnerships. He said that he reached out privately to victims' families, many of whom rejected his offer to pay for funeral costs.
