Hollywood filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry is giving a million dollars to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey.
And he's making a big point by giving $250,000 of that money to Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, which is helping flood survivors.
Perry says in the past he's given millions of dollars to charities and been disappointed.
"I was disheartened to find out that the monies I had given didn't actually get to the people," he said in a Facebook video.
So he wanted to find the right aid groups to donate to with "boots on the ground who could help immediately." That includes Lakewood Church.
Perry says Joel Osteen is his friend and they spoke on the phone. He says the megachurch pastor's initial safety concerns, which the media tried to turn into a controversy, made perfect sense to him.
"I know that there's been some controversy about Joel Osteen and him not opening the doors of the church," Perry said. "Joel and Victoria are amazing people — there's no way that they would lock people out of the church or not let people seek shelter."
"Before you just run and judge somebody you need to know the whole circumstances," he continued.
Perry grew up in New Orleans and had to help his family get through Katrina. He also has family in Houston that he's helping right now.
He also said in his Facebook post that Harvey has revealed the better side of America.
"The horror in Charlottesville is not who we are as a nation, the compassion in Houston is. All of us standing together to help each other as one! God bless America."
Perry says based on his experience with Hurricane Katrina and growing up with other hurricanes in New Orleans, it's most important to donate to groups that you can trust, "that you know are going to do the right thing," that are going to use the money directly and immediately help the victims.
Not only does Lakewood Church have those "boots on the ground," but other groups like Samaritan's Purse and Operation Blessing have also been ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of survivors.
Here's a clip of what Operation Blessing is doing:
CLICK HERE if you'd like to help.
Perry says he's not being boastful by telling everyone he's giving $1 million. He's doing it to challenge others to give as well.
"I've been burned in the past," he said. "Make sure you're giving to people that are getting the monies to the people who need it."
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