The Clara Lionel Foundation instituted by pop superstar Rihanna has made a donation of $5 million to a number of organizations that are providing aid and relief in regard to the coronavirus – COVID-19 – global pandemic. The Foundation announced its donation on March 21, 2020, in a statement that expressed its amazement that its help would be needed to confront a challenge like coronavirus, which is having a dramatic impact on everyone’s life. The statement went on to say, “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.” The goal of the Foundation is “to immediately mobilize a broad response working with on-the-ground partners.”

Recipients of the Foundation’s donation included Direct Relief, Feeding America, Partners in Health, The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, and the International Rescue Committee, among others. The funds are meant to help local food banks, acceleration of testing for the virus in countries like Haiti and Malawi, and providing personal protective equipment for health care workers on the front lines of the fight against the disease. The monies will also be used to help with the protection of Native communities by giving them the resources they need to battle the virus.

Rihanna launched the non-profit Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012. The organization is named in honor of the singer’s grandparents. The Foundation provides funding for education and emergency response programs around the globe.

A number of other celebrities have also donated funding to help schools, hospitals, and food banks, which are trying to provide help in the face of overwhelming needs. The celebrities include Justin Timberlake, Donatella Versace, and Many players in the National Basketball Association.