ATLANTA,None — Atlanta-based movie mogul Tyler Perry has pledged several donations to Haiti's relief efforts, with the first donation totaling $250,000.
According to Perry's Web site, the actor/entrepreneur will make the donation through his foundation, the Tyler Perry Foundation.
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"I know things may be a little tight right now, but what I have learned over the years is that you never get punished for giving. I plan to make a few, but my first donation will be $250,000," said Perry.
"The truth of the matter is this, 'There but for the grace of God, it could be any of us,' Perry wrote on his Web site.
The actor is also encouraging people to vet organizations before giving money.
"I was watching the news and was appalled that some people are already starting to set up charity scams. I just don't understand how people can be so cruel," Perry wrote.
"If you want to make a donation, you can do so to the Tyler Perry Foundation and I will add it to what I'm giving. I can assure you that every dime, 100% of what you give, will get to an organization that will use it to help the Haitian people," Perry wrote.
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Tyler Perry Studios, based in Atlanta, is the first major television and movie studio owned and operated by an African-American film producer.