How celebrities are pitching in in the fight against the coronavirus
During this time of quarantine and fear over COVID-19, many celebrities are stepping forward to lend a hand wherever it may be needed — donating money, creating mask tutorials, even delivering tacos.
Here's a list of some of the responses from stars who're aiming to make things just a little better, a little at a time.
"This Is Us" cast
Mandy Moore posted several photos of healthcare workers (be sure to click to scroll through) on Instagram, noting that she and her "This Is Us" family are helping with deliveries of food and supplies around Pennsylvania:
"Reuniting with my @NBCThisisUs fam to support @FrontlineFoods & provide meals to our healthcare heroes in Philly & Pittsburgh!" she wrote in the caption. "A big THANK YOU to all the essential workers out there, who continue to take care & inspire us all."
Her co-star Sterling K. Brown also posted a similar clutch of pictures, noting in his caption, "My fellow Pearsons and I have teamed up to support @frontlinefoods by sponsoring dinner for our healthcare heroes at some of the hardest hit hospitals in Philly & Pittsburgh. Join us? To get involved, visit frontlinefoods.org!"
Octavia Spencer
The Oscar-winning actress has donated contact-free baby monitors from Miku to ICUs and hospital emergency wards in her hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, through Baptist Healthcare Systems. The monitors are able to track respiratory patterns without direct wires or wearables, which should minimize doctor/patient interaction.
"I, like many of you, have felt helpless in knowing how to help during this time. Seeing what is happening in the communities that I love, I have teamed up with @Mikucare to donate monitors to nursing and medical facilities in Alabama and New York to provide much needed relief to nurses as they navigate care for COVID-19 patients," Spencer wrote on Instagram
Beyoncé
Beyoncé announced that her BEYGood charity will partner with Twitter’s Jack Dorsey’s Start Small campaign to provide $6 million in relief funds to a variety of organizations that are helping communities of color that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Communities of color are suffering by epic proportions due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” a statement on the singer’s website said. “Communities that were already lacking funds for education, health and housing are now faced with alarming infection rates and fatalities.”
A portion of the proceeds will go to support efforts by the University of California, Los Angeles and the National Alliance of Mental Illness to provide mental wellness services in hard-hit cities like Detroit, New York, Houston and New Orleans. Money is also going to No Kid Hungry, Bread of Life, World Central Kitchen and more.
Blake Shelton
The country superstar and "The Voice" coach is donating $150,000 to the "Give from Home Day" fundraiser, which will benefit the Regional Food bank of Oklahoma during the continuing pandemic.
"A lot of Oklahomans are going to bed hungry tonight," he said in a video recorded for the fundraiser. "That's not something that I can live with. That's why I'm going to be donating to the Regional Food Bank, the Oklahoma Food Bank. I hope you will join me and help from home."
You can watch Shelton's video here.
Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson
Cyrus and her boyfriend, Cody Simpson (click on the Instagram to see more images), delivered tacos to a local hospital in Los Angeles.
"So grateful for these true legends of our time dedicating their lives to battling this pandemic," Simpson wrote in the caption to an Instagram showing them both with masks and latex gloves as they carried in takeout bags. "Show some love to yours in your community!"
Colin Hanks
Hanks saw COVID-19 hit close to home when his dad, two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks, and stepmom Rita Wilson came down with the virus while in Australia. The "Jumanji: The Next Level" actor created a tutorial on Instagram about how to make a no-sew face mask with items you can find around the house.
"I've been looking around online for ways to turn your kerchiefs into a face mask," he wrote on Instagram. "It's pretty easy. All you need is one kerchief (or bandana roughly 21 x 21 inches) and 2 hair ties or rubber bands if you have those." (Scroll through the images to see the rest of the instructions, as well as the final result on Hanks' face.)
Kevin Love
The Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player posted a photo of himself with workers at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and noted that he was donating $100,000 through his Kevin Love Fund to help the staff at the arena, which is the home of the Cavs.
"Through the game of basketball, we've been able to address major issues and stand together as a progressive league that cares about the players, the fans, and the communities where we work," he wrote. "I'm concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I'm committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities."
Olivia Wilde and other celebs via Save With Stories
Dozens of stars, including Olivia Wilde, Sugar Ray Leonard, Glenn Close and Eddie Redmayne, have signed on with Save the Children and No Kid Hungry to offer stories on Instagram and Facebook for kids and parents stuck at home during the outbreak, as part of Save With Stories. Donations will help those organizations ensure schools and community programs can keep young people fed, both intellectually and in their bellies.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds
The power couple announced that they're donating $1 million between Feeding America and Food Banks Canada, and Lively encouraged others to help within their local community. Reynolds added on Instagram, "Take care of your bodies and hearts. Leave room for joy. Call someone who’s isolated and might need connection."
Rihanna
The musician's Clara Lionel Foundation is donating $5 million to support the fight against the virus. The donation is set to provide protective gear for hospital workers, support food banks for the elderly, support the distribution of respiratory supplies, and move a testing process forward for residents in countries like Malawi and Haiti.
Oprah Winfrey
"I am donating $10 million overall to help Americans during this pandemic in cities across the country and in areas where I grew up," she wrote in a caption to an Instagram video. She indicated she'd donate $1 million to America's Food Fund.
Dolly Parton
The musician says she's donating $1 million to Vanderbilt University research to find a cure for the coronavirus, and hoped her fans would also dig deep for donations.
Kylie Jenner
Dr. Tha?s Aliabadi confirmed that Kylie Jenner was donating $1 million to first responders; Dr. Aliabadi is the OB-GYN who delivered Jenner's child, Stormi. The money will go to masks, face shields and other protective gear sent directly to those on the front lines at hospitals.
Justin Bieber
The musician said he'd donate around $29,000 to the Beijing Chunmiao Charity Foundation to help with relief efforts in China.
"Watching the news I couldn't imagine how scary it would be if a new disease was affecting my wife and my family and friends," he said in an Instagram video. "China, we stand with you as a collective humanity and have made a donation to support. Whether it be this or the fires of Australia we all need to be there for each other."
Pink
After she and her son Jameson, 3, experienced symptoms of COVID-19, Pink wrote in a post on Instagram, "I am donating $500,000 to the Temple University Hospital Emergency Fund in Philadelphia in honor of my mother, Judy Moore, who worked there for 18 years in the Cardiomyopathy and Heart Transplant Center. Additionally, I am donating $500,000 to the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Emergency COVID-19 Crisis Fund. THANK YOU to all of our health care professionals and everyone in the world who are working so hard to protect our loved ones. You are our heroes! These next two weeks are crucial: please stay home. Please. Stay. Home."
Tyler Perry
In a Facebook post shared on April 8, 11 Alive investigative reporter Brendan Keefe said the comedian and movie star had "paid for all groceries during Seniors Hour" at 44 Atlanta-area Kroger stores. In an article published by 11 Alive, the news outlet said the act of kindness had been confirmed by Kroger.
"You can see the smiles and tears through the masks!" Keefe wrote, along with photos of people in the store. "He wanted to be known only as Atlanta Angel."
In the 11 Alive article, it was also confirmed that Perry had paid for all groceries purchased at nearly 30 Winn-Dixie supermarkets in his home state of Louisiana.
Bethenny Frankel
Using her BStrong initiative, in partnership with Global Empowerment Mission, Frankel is working on getting personal protective equipment to hospitals and medical workers. She's also raised funds to create BStrong coronakits, which will include essentials for families to help ward off the virus (masks, gloves, antibacterial and sanitizing wipes). The kits are meant to be distributed in lower-income areas.
"#BStrong distributes aid according to the specific crisis and allocated by state proportionally to the country. Severity & necessity differs by state & shifts," she wrote in an Instagram caption. "We've 2x exceeded our goal of 100+facilities & our goal of $16 million in aid distribution in 15+states. Our new goal is $50 million in aid to healthcare workers, firefighters, police officers & frontline warriors throughout the US."
