Elvis Presley is recognized around the world as the most popular entertainer of his time. It is also well known that he declined tragically in the later years of his career and misused prescription drugs, which hastened the end of his life. His music and the circumstances of his final years will always be remembered. But lesser known aspects of his character should never be forgotten: the generosity he showed to others and the many charitable contributions he made during his lifetime.
Elvis was born poor. He knew what it was like to go without, to accept food and welfare assistance, and learned the importance of helping others in need. Early on he made appearances to raise money for charitable organizations like the March of Dimes. He posed for promotion photos while getting vaccines and giving blood. He donated to toy drives and wrote checks to more than 50 charitable organizations each year at Christmas. Before a performance in Mississippi, he visited a hospital to cheer up a sick boy who wanted to meet him but was unable to attend the show. He contributed to the Motion Picture Relief Fund to help workers in need. Purchased a yacht and donated it to an auction organized to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He performed charity concerts in Memphis and Tupelo, Mississippi, where he was born, to benefit youth services and local relief programs. Gave a benefit concert in Hawaii to help fund the building of a memorial over the sunken U.S.S. Arizona battleship in Pearl Harbor. He performed again in Hawaii in 1973 to benefit cancer research. He staged a concert in Tupelo to benefit victims impacted by a series of tornados that hit southern Mississippi in January, 1975.
Elvis made many donations of time and money that were never publicized. He gave uncounted gifts to family and friends. He bought cars and homes for people. Helped strangers in need, giving them money, paying off their debts. He gave money to high school students so they could afford tickets to a charity football game. He supported a driver education program, the American Library Association and the Memphis Jewish Community Center. He purchased a new wheelchair for an elderly woman. He visited people who were sick, sometimes arranging to pay their hospital bills.
When Elvis organized a benefit event he paid the costs of putting on the show, ensuring that all proceeds raised, not just the amount after expenses, went to charity. Elvis’s father, Vernon Presley, warned him he was giving away too much money. Elvis said he wasn’t worried about money, that he wanted to make people happy, that it was a great gift to be able to give. He directed his advisors not to deduct charitable contributions on his tax returns because, reportedly, that would be like the government making the donation rather than himself.
Some say Elvis was insecure, that he gave away so much to impress friends, to buy affection, to gain acceptance and atone for times when he treated people harshly. But the record shows he was blessed with a sincerely generous nature, and gave so many gifts not because it was popular but because helping people and giving joy to others made him happy.
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