Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have donated $26 million to charities this week ahead of their wedding at Madison Square Garden.
The donations were spread out across 20 local and national charities, according to Swift’s publicist, with many located in areas where the couple has deep ties. Nine of the selected organizations are based in New York, where the two are expected to tie the knot on Friday. The selected groups include food pantries like Food Bank For NYC and City Harvest, and Musical Mentors, a nonprofit that connects music teachers with students in need.
Other charities reflected where Swift and Kelce have also called home, including the Rhode Island Community Food Bank — as Swift owns an estate in Watch Hill — and the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri — where Kelce plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
A handful of national groups also received money: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a book giveaway program spearheaded by the music legend; the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Feeding America.
Just how much each charity received was not disclosed.
The announcement did not include any mention of Swift and Kelce’s wedding, but two law enforcement sources have told CBS News that the event will be held Friday. A smaller rehearsal dinner is set for the Infosys Theater under Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, the source said.
The large donations ahead of Swift and Kelce’s wedding is reminiscent of charitable gifts the couple has given in the past. Swift, a billionaire, gave millions to food banks ahead of her Eras Tour stops, while Kelce has been recognized by the Chiefs for winning “charity challenges” and operating his own nonprofit.
Swift and Kelce have been in a relationship since 2023, enthralling millions around the world. Their relationship has been documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s concert tour as it traveled the globe. In 2025, they announced their engagement, but have so far remained mum on wedding details.
Yet, buzz has remained high around New York’s MSG, with multiple trucks and crews going in and out delivering materials for what is expected to be an elaborate event. The wedding is expected to be attended by about 1,000 guests and stretch into the early hours of Saturday morning, law enforcement sources told CBS News. People Magazine editor-in-chief Charlotte Triggs told CBS Mornings that sources claim a castle is being built inside the massive arena.
“This is going to be an absolute, spectacular blowout,” Triggs said. “According to a source, it doesn’t look at all the same inside. They’ve completely transformed it.”
