Scandal Reunion and Script Read Raises Over $50,000 for Hurricane Helene Relief in Western North Carolina
[Cary, NC] On Sunday, November 17, the cast of ABC’s hit show Scandal reunited for a live virtual script read, raising $58,000 in total. Funds benefit United Way of North Carolina’s UW Helps NC Fund, which directs funds to western North Carolina communities in need of rebuilding and resource support after Hurricane Helene devastation.
The event was full of interactive opportunities as the cast and guests read their script. Instead of a typical thermometer, a red wine glass filled up while funds poured in! Fans saw their funds announced in real time as a banner on the screen and got to chat with each other throughout the event.
Spearheaded by Bellamy Young, who was born and raised in Asheville, NC, the virtual event featured cast members Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Guillermo Diaz, Scott Foley, Katie Lowes, Joe Morton, George Newbern, Jeff Perry, Cornelius Smith Jr., and Darby Stanchfield. Shonda Rhimes opened the reading and Betsy Beers narrated the night.
Additional actors joined in for their character reads -- Jason George, Nick Gonzalez, Ashley Madekwe, Harold Perrineau, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Aisha Tyler and NC's own Ken Jeong.
The featured script chosen was Season 7, Episode 4 titled “Lost Girls” - a tribute to Bellamy's Asheville area code 704 she had growing up.
During the event, fans got a chance to win the following items referenced in the episode:
-
A lunch date with Bellamy Young in New York City.
-
A dinosaur puzzle and dinosaur model, signed by Kerry Washington.
-
A tropical shirt worn and signed by Ken Jeong.
-
A notebook signed by Jeff Perry, along with a special message from him on the front page..
The virtual event production is by Hovercast.
“I’m so grateful to my whole Scandal family and our amazing guest stars, to the tireless production team, and especially to the Gladiators around the world who came together to show Western North Carolina some love on Sunday night,” said Bellamy Young. "We hope what we raised will be a drop in the bucket as NC rebuilds, but more than ever we resolve to keep helping because we know the road ahead is long."
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Bellamy Young for spearheading the fundraiser in partnership with the United Way of North Carolina and to the Scandal family for coming together for the script reading and reunion. Thank you so much to our fellow Gladiators and supporters for contributing to the UW Helps NC Fund. The funds raised during this event will provide critical support to western North Carolina communities as they rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, ensuring residents have the resources they need to recover and move forward." – Brittany Pruitt Fletcher, President and CEO, United Way of North Carolina
####
About United Way of North Carolina
United Way mobilizes communities to action so all can thrive. For almost 50 years, United Way of North Carolina (UWNC) has been a statewide organization, partnering with 47 local United Ways to co-create solutions to people’s most pressing challenges. We take a comprehensive approach, listening and responding to statewide needs, including but not limited to, strengthening local resilience and advancing health, youth opportunity, and financial security in our state. UWNC bridges and mobilizes people, local United Ways, and resources so individuals, families, and communities thrive in North Carolina. We are committed to four core areas of work: Member services, NC 211, Disaster Response, and Advocacy. To learn more, visit www.unitedwaync.org.