I think everyone can agree that it’s been a rough few of weeks. Thanks to COVID-19, the world around us has shut down, everyone is socially distancing themselves from one another and politicians are desperately trying to decide the nation’s next steps in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
However, despite canceled gigs and lost wages, those within the entertainment industry have managed to find ways to virtually connect and help each other in this time of crisis.
Here are just a few inspiring examples of how artists and entertainers throughout the United States have (virtually) come together to serve and empower their communities during the nationwide shut-downs.
4 Ways The Entertainment Community Is Supporting One Another During COVID-19:
#1. Broadway producers pledged to match up to $1 million in emergency funds for artists.
Following New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s unfortunate, but necessary order to shut down all Broadway and off-Broadway shows on March 12, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS launched an online fundraising campaign to create the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund for artists. The non-profit contributed $250,000 initially to seed the fund.
A few days later, producer Spencer Ross pledged to match up to $50,000 of donated funds and encouraged other producers to do the same. There are now more than twenty Broadway producers who have committed to match every donation made to the emergency fund up to $1 million. Of their $2 million goal, which they hope to reach by April 12, the fund has already raised over $1.4 million.
#2. SAG-AFTRA created a COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund for its members.
When SAG-AFTRA announced last week that all in-person programming throughout Los Angeles and New York City would be postponed in response to COVID-19, it also took immediate measures to provide ways for its members to seek help in their time of need. On March 16, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation released a video statement from President and actor Courtney B. Vance announcing the launch of its COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund. In the statement, Vance requested assistance from those in a position to help: “If you need help, ask. And if you can help, give.”
#3. Netflix set up a $100 million coronavirus relief fund.
On Friday, March 20, Netflix announced that it was creating a $100 million fund for entertainment workers in need. Of that fund, $15 million will be dedicated to Netflix employees who are currently out of work due to COVID-19 production shut-downs taking place all over the world.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, wrote, “We are only as strong as the people we work with and Netflix is fortunate to be able to help those hardest hit in our industry through this challenging time.”
The streaming company has also committed to donating $1 million each to other industry-related funds including the SAG-AFTRA COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund, the Actors Fund and the Motion Picture and Television Fund.
#4. Rihanna contributed $5 million to the fight against COVID-19.
Rihanna’s education and emergency relief non-profit, The Clara Lionel Foundation, announced on March 21 that it had donated $5 million toward COVID-19 response efforts, making it one of the largest celebrity contributions during the coronavirus pandemic. Among the charities and organizations benefiting from the donation are Direct Relief, Feeding America, Partners in Health, The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the International Rescue Committee.
According to Forbes, the foundation’s donated funds will also support, “the acceleration of testing and care in countries like Haiti and Malawi, and the mobilization of resources and support for Native Communities.”