MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Hope for Haiti Now telethon raises 58 million US dollars

The two-hour telethon was hosted by George Clooney and Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean

More than 58 million US dollars have been raised through the all-star Hope for Haiti Now telethon, according to organizers.

“The public has set a new standard of giving for a relief telethon with Hope for Haiti Now, and the donations continue to come in,” Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, said in a statement released Sunday.

Paulsen says the final tally will be higher as the counting continues. The current number does not include donations from corporations or large donations by individuals.

Hope for Haiti Now was a two-hour telethon hosted by George Clooney and Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean. It featured performances from Los Angeles, New York City and London, featuring the likes of Madonna, Rihanna, Bono, Sting, Beyonce and Coldplay.

Organizers also said the Hope for Haiti Now album has become the biggest one-day album pre-order in iTunes history and currently sits at No. 1 on iTunes' album chart in 18 countries.

Some of the relief organizations that will benefit from Hope for Haiti Now include the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, the UN World Food Program, Oxfam America, the Red Cross, UNICEF and Yele Haiti Foundation.