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Taylor Swift donates $13K to mothers struggling to make ends meet amid COVID-19

VIDEO: Binge This: Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' concert film now available on Disney+
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Binge This: Taylor Swift's 'Folklore' concert film now available on Disney+
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images, FILE
ByMegan Stone
December 09, 2020, 11:30 am

Christmas came early for two mothers when Taylor Swift personally sent them each $13,000.

After reading about Nikki Cornwell and Shelbie Selewski in a Washington Post article detailing the hard times they fell on due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the "Cardigan" singer reached out to help them get back on their feet.

MORE: Taylor Swift donates over $30K to help student pay college tuition

Cornwell, a single mother and COVID-19 survivor, expressed on her GoFundMe page that she was struggling to make ends meet after a job opportunity fell through in May.

"I don't know if my kids will even have a Christmas," she noted, calling 2020 a "horrible year."

In addition to a $13,000 donation, Swift offered words of encouragement for the single mom.

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"Nikki, I read about you in the Washington Post and thought it was really brave of you to share your story," Swift wrote. "I'm so sorry for everything you've had to go through this year and wanted to send you this gift, from one Nashville girl to another."

As for Selewski, a mom of two who lost her job in the spring and is raising a daughter "who was born with a collapsed lung right before Covid," explained on her GoFundMe that she and her fiance "sold everything we could possibly sell" to stay afloat but continued to struggle.

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"Shelbie, I'm sending you this gift after reading about you in The Washington Post. No one should have to feel the kind of stress that's been put on you," Swift wrote when making her $13,000 donation. "I hope you and your beautiful family have a great holiday season."

Both mothers have since reacted in shock and gratitude to the unexpected surprise.

Selewski called Swift's kindness "the biggest blessing" while Cornwell noted "my family has smiles [and we're] going to be okay."

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