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Arcade Fire Pledge $1 Million to Haiti Earthquake Aid

Arcade Fire's Win ButlerIndie giants Arcade Fire will donate up to $1 million Canadian (approximately $965 million US) to the ongoing relief and rebuilding effort in Haiti. According to the New York Times, the Montreal-based group made the announcement Monday night, which marked six months since Port-au-Prince was devastated by the massive quake that killed some 200,000 people.

"Please, take our money," frontman Win Butler reportedly said during a gig at the Quebec Summer Festival, adding that $5 donations made by fans who texted "30333" would be matched by the band. Arcade Fire's other lead singer, Régine Chassagne, who is also Butler's wife, is the daughter of Haitians who left their homeland during François Duvalier's dictatorship.

Donations will go to Kanpe, a nonprofit organization formed by Chassagne to help bring Canadian aid to Haiti's rural poor, including healthcare and financial assistance to families displaced from the capital. Arcade Fire's debut album boasted a song called 'Haiti' and the band was active in raising awareness since news of the disaster broke. Their forthcoming LP, 'The Suburbs,' is due Aug. 3.

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jeff

Hasn't there been 100 disasters since then else where. Why are these people sitting in Port of Prince? Move outward. Another inept government I would imagine waiting for the nasty old white countries to fix and bail them out. We are done. Go bang on the mid easts door and africa's. We are racists.It works out better that way. We can protect our own and not give up the farm. Thats all from Idaho, signing off.

July 15 2010 at 2:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pamelaa

Why don't bands or movie stars donate $1 million to America. Not to their private charities - to America where we need it. We give too much to other countries and don't take care of the USA.

July 15 2010 at 1:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Terry Winton

Wow - the Canadian loonie sure has dropped in value!

July 15 2010 at 1:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bigurnge

Jimmy Buffet did send any money because the earthquake was Bush's fault.

July 15 2010 at 12:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jdee

freakingoriginal...... Canada has always been taken care of by the U.S.A. our military has kept them free from an invasion of a foriegn power. they enjoy that from our country.... so eat on that big boy...... thank a vetern and an active soldier for your freedom...hammer head......

July 15 2010 at 12:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to jdee's comment
freakingoriginal

I'm not about to thank a US military personnel for my freedom. I moved to America when I was 8 but left as soon as I could, the sad part is that at 17 with English being my second language I speak it better than over 90% of Americans. Oh and last I checked I wasn't a guy.

July 17 2010 at 1:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jdee

they could direct some of that money to the Gulf coast oil region to help them folks out..... but nooooo ..... no one helps the U.S. in all it's disaster. hurricanes, earth quakes, floods,terrorist acts, ect. But they all expect a hand out from the good ol U.S.A. when it's their problem's. I say take care of our country first then help other countries........sorry for being U.S. selfish but we need help sometimes too.......

July 15 2010 at 12:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
fred myers

I find it disconcerting when I hear how money disappears in Haiti. We vacationed there many years and it was a very scary experience. Unless they ready to follow the money to Haiti,I would be very relucant to provide any cash.

Why don't they provided it to help the people of the Gulf states who could really use the money? I have always notice the entertainment industry as a whole always giving their money to some far away place.

July 15 2010 at 11:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
KEITH

WILL PROOFREAD FOR FUDE

July 15 2010 at 11:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
s ortiz

Haiti? Are you kidding me? When we have so much devastation on our Gulf Coast which will eventually have a trickling effect to our WHOLE country! I know that we want to help everyone who is hurting, but, that is not possible! WE NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

July 15 2010 at 11:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
BraceWinslow

Maybe they can distribute the money to buy boats to sneak into the U.S. After all, that's more votes for our sacred Obama.

July 15 2010 at 11:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply