‘American Idol’ Alum Katharine McPhee Pledges $50K for Hurricane Sandy Victims

Katharine McPhee

American Idol season five runner-up Katharine McPhee is the latest alum of the Fox show offering aid to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

McPhee joined talk show host Geraldo Rivera during a live broadcast at a Salvation Army Post in Long Island on Monday to announce her intentions through her charitable organization, McPhee Outreach. McPhee pledged to match every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000.  McPhee is hoping to reach a goal of $100,000, she said.

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“I was looking for the organization on the ground that was doing the most to help Hurricane Sandy victims and I found that to be the Salvation Army," the star of Smash said.

Rivera praised McPhee, who took time out from filming her NBC show, for her efforts.

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“There is no one who does more with less than the Salvation Army.  I’m hoping that my listeners and sponsors will step up and match the McPhee Outreach’s grant to raise more than $100,000 to help people rebuild their lives in the wake of this weather disaster," he said.

Other Idol alums reaching out to the storm-ravaged area include season four winner Carrie Underwood, who donated the proceeds from her Atlantic City concert at Boardwalk Hall to the community, and season 11 champion Phillip Phillips, who will perform a live Stageit.com concert benefitting the American Red Cross on Nov. 15 from Staten Island with the choir of PS22.

Twitter: @Idol_Worship

Michele Amabile Angermiller