Rihanna's Foundation Donates $5 Million To Coronavirus Response

As the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, celebrities and brands are stepping up to offer their help in any way they can. While some have merely lent their voices to silly videos about imagining, others, like Christian Siriano, Prabal Gurung, and the powers that be behind brands like Prada and Nike, are going the extra mile — either donating money to relief efforts or donating their time and resources to make new masks and other necessary medical supplies for hospitals that are quickly running out. The latest celebrity to step up to the plate is Rihanna, who went through her Clara Lionel Foundation (famous for hosting the annual charity gala Diamond Ball) to donate an impressive $5 million to COVID-19 rapid response efforts in the United States and around the globe.

"Never has it been more important or urgent to protect and prepare marginalized and underserved communities — those who will be hit hardest by this pandemic," Justine Lucas, Executive Director of the Clara Lionel Foundation, recently said in a press release, which also noted that "over the past five years CLF has been one of the first organizations to respond to some of the world's most devastating natural disasters, and they have seen firsthand the profound and unintended consequences of not being prepared."

According to the release, these funds will be used to support: "local food banks serving at-risk communities and the elderly in the United States;" "acceleration of testing and care in countries like Haiti and Malawi, as well as the mobilization of resources and additional capacity and support for Native communities;" "protective equipment for frontline health workers and diagnostic labs, the establishment and maintenance of intensive care units, and acceleration of the development of vaccines and other therapies across the globe;" "healthcare worker training, virus prevention and containment in countries that will be on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response" and "distribution of critical respiratory supplies.

To do so, CLF has teamed up with a number of partners to help bolster the response efforts — including Direct Relief, Partners In Health, Feeding America, the International Rescue Committee, World Health Organization's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and others. By dedicating themselves to supporting those who will inevitably be hit hardest by the virus in the weeks to come, the foundation hopes their efforts will help slow down the spread of this potentially deadly virus. As noted, "One of the most powerful weapons we have against COVID-19 is preparedness. Protecting our frontline health workers and marginalized communities around the world requires getting ahead of it fast and the time to act is now."

You can make a donation to Clara Lionel Foundation here.