On June 1st, singer Christina Grimmie posted a video to her YouTube channel in which she urges her fans to participate in CBS EcoMedia’s Charity Champions League in support of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The video ended up being Grimmie’s last. 10 days after she posted it, she was tragically murdered during a post-performance meet-and-greet in Orlando.
Many of Grimmie’s fans, shocked and saddened by her passing, have used her participation in the Charity Champions League as a memorial of sorts. Grimmie’s entry into the competition, powered by the support of her grieving audience, ultimately ended up claiming the top prize and earning a $250,000 donation to the HSUS.
Grimmie was a longtime supporter of the HSUS. In 2015, she performed the song “I Need A Hero” at the charity’s annual gala in New York City. In light of her passing, the HSUS has set up the Christina Grimmie Animal Medical Fund, which will assist with the organization’s animal rescue efforts. The $250,000 prize from the Charity Champions League will serve as the fund’s first major donation.
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“Christina Grimmie and all our Team Captains proved that when you present the American public with an easy way to get involved and make a difference, they will take action,” said Paul Polizzotto, Founder and President of CBS EcoMedia, in a press release. “We are delighted to be able to direct critical funding to The Humane Society of the United States, which Christina was so dedicated to supporting, and to the other ten very worthy nonprofit organizations that participated in the competition.”
Entertainment Tonight co-hosts Nancy O’Dell and Kevin Frazier finished second and third in the Charity Champions League, respectively. O’Dell earned $100,000 for ALS.net, while Frazier picked up $75,000 for School on Wheels.
