Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation has announced new funding of $5 million to support the global efforts to respond to coronavirus.
The funding, announced on Saturday, will particularly support those working on the frontlines of response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those working with marginalized communities in the US, the Caribbean, and Africa.
The foundation — which launched in 2012 and is named in honor of Rihanna’s grandparents — said it’s aiming to "immediately mobilize a broad response working with on-the-ground partners."
Some of the organizations being supported by the Clara Lionel Foundation include Direct Relief, Feeding America, Partners in Health, the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, and the International Rescue Committee, among others.
According to the foundation’s statement, funding will support efforts like: local food banks serving at-risk communities and the elderly in the US; acceleration of testing and care in countries including Haiti and Malawi; the mobilization of resources and support; protective equipment for frontline workers; and acceleration of the development of a vaccine.
"When we first began this year, never could we have imagined how COVID-19 would so dramatically alter our lives," the foundation said in a statement. "It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, this pandemic will affect us all. And for the world’s most vulnerable, the worst may be yet to come."
"We know that one of the most powerful weapons we have against COVID-19 is preparedness," it added. "Protecting our frontline health workers and marginalized communities around the world requires getting ahead of it fast. The time to act is now."
Rihanna is one of the many celebrities stepping up to support the response to COVID-19 through the amplification of public health messaging; through donations to organizations leading the COVID-19 relief efforts; and through entertaining their fans on social media platforms to encourage people to stay at home.
Global Citizen has been working in partnership with the WHO to further these efforts through our Together at Home campaign and virtual concert series — which aims to mobilize Global Citizens to take action in support of the global coronavirus response.
You can tune in daily on Instagram to enjoy live at-home performances from stars including Chris Martin, John Legend, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, Christine and the Queens, Years and Years, and more.
You can find out all about the Together At Home campaign and the actions you can take right now to support the COVID-19 response here, and you can find out about the upcoming daily performances on our social channels, including Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
You can see all of Global Citizen's COVID-19 coverage here.
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