By admin 
Introduction
After Hurricane Hugo devastated the Charleston region of South Carolina in 1989, Barry Manilow stepped in with a rapid and heartfelt response. He organized a special benefit concert at the University of South Carolina’s Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, where $10 tickets vanished in just three hours. Fans were also encouraged to bring canned goods, which were then delivered directly to residents affected by the disaster. In recognition of his efforts, Mayor T. Patton Adams proclaimed the day “Barry Manilow Day.” At the event, Manilow presented The Red Cross and The Salvation Army with donations of $42,500 each.
On January 15, 1994, however, Manilow made headlines for a very different reason. Just three hours before he was due to perform at the Ethnic Pride and Heritage Festival at the Atlantic City Convention Center, he canceled his appearance. The festival benefitted several New Jersey institutions, including the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, the Community Foundation of New Jersey, United Hospitals Medical Center Foundation, and the Newark Museum. The event was tied to pre-inaugural activities for Governor-elect Christie Whitman. Manilow stated that he withdrew because organizers had assured him in writing that the concert would be strictly nonpartisan—an assurance he felt had not been honored.
In 2005, following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Katrina, Manilow once again mobilized his fan base for relief efforts. Through the Manilow Fund for Health and Hope website, he promised to personally match every dollar donated to the American Red Cross. The fund itself matched each contribution as well, effectively tripling every donation. Within 48 hours, $150,000 was raised and delivered to the Red Cross to support recovery efforts.
Years later, on October 27, 2011, Manilow traveled to Joplin, Missouri, a little over five months after a massive tornado tore through the city, destroying one-third of it—including its only high school. Through the Manilow Music Project, he donated $300,000 to help rebuild the school’s music program and replace instruments lost in the storm.