Rihanna is the latest among countless celebrities to pay it forward in order to help fight the spread of coronavirus. The mogul’s Clara Lionel Foundation has donated a total of $5 million to various organizations, particularly in marginalized communities in the United States, the Caribbean and in Africa, that are working toward preventing the further spread of COVID-19 as well as helping those most deeply affected by the pandemic. CLF has distributed the funds to at least five different non-profits, including Direct Relief, Partners In Health, Feeding America, the International Rescue Committee, the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
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“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, the executive director at CLF, said in a statement. According to Variety, the donations will “support local food banks serving at-risk communities and the elderly in the U.S., testing and care in Haiti and Malawi, the distribution of medical equipment, vaccine and therapy research and development, and healthcare training.”
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“CLF believes that one of the most powerful weapons we have against COVID-19 is preparedness,” the foundation said in a statement. “Protecting our frontline health workers and marginalized communities around the world requires getting ahead of it fast, and the time to act is now.” Rihanna founded CLF back in 2012, in honour of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. Her goal has been to work closely with community-based leaders and organizations that support education and emergency response and preparedness around the world. The foundation has hosted many different charity events, including Rihanna’s annual Diamond Ball.
