Billy Joel and Alexis Joel donate $250,000 for Hurricane Ian victims

Billy Joel and his wife, Alexis, have donated $250,000 toward helping the victims of Hurricane Ian, which struck Florida a month ago as the fifth-strongest storm ever to hit the United States.

“Our family is moved to action by the catastrophic hurricane that wiped out an entire coastline in Lee County, Florida," the two said in a joint statement through their Joel Foundation Thursday. "Florida is our winter home and living through our own experience during Superstorm Sandy and the rebuilding needed in the ongoing years, our goal is to help those less fortunate."

They added, "While we always put music education at the forefront of our agenda, we also help those during devastating times. We have partnered with The Lee County Community Cooperative to aid those that are suffering in the aftermath of this storm. We are grateful to them for their tireless work in the community.”

Community Cooperative already has used some of the donation to purchase recess equipment for three schools forced to merge into one, said Stefanie Ink Edwards, the nonprofit organization's CEO. While Fort Myers Beach Elementary and The Sanibel School are being rebuilt they have been temporarily placed inside the San Carlos Park Elementary School.

“We are blown away by the outpouring of support from people across the world, including Billy and Alexis Joel,” said Edwards in a statement “The Joel Foundation’s incredible donation will go such a long way in getting our community back on its feet, our children back in school, and their families back at home. We can’t thank Billy and Alexis and their organization enough.”

JOEL'S NEWEST MSG SHOW Additionally on Thursday, Madison Square Garden announced that Joel's unprecedented residency there continues to an 89th concert, set for March 26. General-public tickets go on sale Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com. Joel's Nov. 23, Dec. 19 and Jan. 13 Garden concerts are sold out, according to his website, while tickets remain for Feb. 14.

The Hicksville-raised Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, 73, has won five Grammys plus a Grammy Legend Award and numerous other accolades. This will be his 135th lifetime show at the Garden. He began his residency on Jan. 27, 2014, and has performed monthly except for a long pause during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.