Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church Received $4.4 Mil In PPP Loans & People Are Angry

BY Erika Marie 6.3K Views
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Joel Osteen, PPP Loans, COVID-19, Relief Loan
Osteen, who is reportedly worth $100 million, used the loan to help pay over 350 church employees.

He pastors one of the largest, most influential, and wealthiest churches in the United States, but that doesn't mean that Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church wouldn't take advantage of the government's PPP Loans. It's estimated that Osteen himself is worth upwards of $100 million and reportedly calls his $10 million estate home, so it came as a surprise to learn that Lakewood Church acquired a $4.4 million PPP—Paycheck Protection Program—Loan through the COVID-19 relief program.

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The Houston church reportedly has 368 part-time and full-time employees and the PPP Loan went to caring for their needs. The pandemic loan was at one time was in the top three largest distributed over the summer. The New York Post reported that because the ability to meet in-person was curbed to help stop the spread of coronavirus, it's hurt the church's "ability to collect substantial donations during those services.”

“Believing the shutdown would only last a few weeks, Lakewood did not initially apply for PPP assistance during the first half of the program,” said spokesman Donald Iloff said. “However, as the shutdown persisted month after month, given the economic uncertainty, Lakewood finally applied for the PPP loan and has been able to provide full salaries and benefits including health insurance coverage to all of its employees and their families.”

Iloff added that Osteen and his wife haven't collected a salary from the church since 2004 and the PPP Loan didn't personally benefit them. Osteen, who has been close friends with Kanye West, hasn't released a statement regarding the controversy. Check out a few reactions to the news below.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.