thanks, taylor
The Taylor Swift effect: Local nonprofits reap big rewards from megastar's gifts to Houston
No doubt Taylor Swift is chilling with her cats, healing her hand, and getting ready for her next Eras Tour stop in Atlanta. But here in Houston, fans are still buzzing about her three shows at NRG Stadium — she called them "insane" and says that she woke up "smiling reminiscing about how much fun we all had."
Houston welcomed Swift with an official name change for NRG Stadium ("NRG Stadium (Taylor's Version)"), an official proclamation of "Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Weekend," lighting City Hall lavender in honor of her single, myriad bar and restaurant happenings, and even a $13 cat adoption event in honor of the cat lady and her lucky number.
About that cat adoption event: as we reported, Houston Humane Society held a "Forever Home Era" $13 cat adoption event the week of her Eras Tour shows. The event majorly discounted the adoption fee (normally $50) and only stipulated that only cats living at the shelter 30 days or longer were available.
That didn't stop Houstonians, who eagerly spread their love of Swift and felines. Reps from Houston Humane tell us that the shelter saw twice as many cat adoptions last week in comparison to an average week. A total of 41 cats now have a fur-ever home, and reps proudly report that the “cat condo” where adoptable felines stay at the shelter is "nearly empty."
By the way: Those who still want to adopt a kitty surely can at Houston Humane. Or, check out the ridiculously adorable kitten and puppy neonatal nursery at Houston SPCA — and even gift the tiny fur babies who are so young they're being hand-fed — all the things via the organization's baby shower. (You're killing us with the cute, SPCA.)
Meanwhile, the Taylor Effect continued with another gift — one to the Houston Food Bank. Swift made a "generous" donation to the nonprofit the week of her tour stops. The venerable nonprofit, per Swift's wishes, is keeping mum as to how much the megastar donated. Swift did not, despite some local media reports, personally deliver the donation, per the organization.
"Taylor Swift is a big supporter of food banks across the country — thankfully, including ours," a representative of Houston Food Bank. "She donated after hurricane Harvey, and we wondered if she might make a donation when she was in town for her weekend of shows this year, but we hadn't heard anything up until a couple hours before her Friday night concert."
Swift donated to the food bank in honor of her mother Andrea Swift, a former Houstonian, as she did during Hurricane Harvey.