Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey and Laurene Powell Jobs are partnering on a multi-million fund to help those most affected by COVID-19. DiCaprio and Powell Jobs each donated $5 million, Apple donated $5 million, and Winfrey and the Ford Foundation donated $1 million apiece.
Dubbed America’s Food Fund, it will work jointly with established food relief nonprofits World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.
In a statement, DiCaprio said: “In the face of this crisis, organizations like World Central Kitchen and Feeding America have inspired us all with their unwavering commitment to feed the most vulnerable people in need. I thank them for their tireless work on the frontlines, they deserve all of our support.”
In a statement Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America said: “Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 37 million people in this country did not have consistent access to nutritious meals—including 11 million children and 5.5 million seniors. These numbers are quickly rising, and it is critical that we rally together as a nation to support our neighbors during this time of great need.”
The Fund launched a GoFundMe page that explained its ethos: “In neighborhoods and communities around the country, hunger is an issue that people, including families and children, face every day. Our most vulnerable populations — children who are out of school and rely on school lunch programs, low-income families, the elderly, and individuals facing job disruptions — face great barriers to receiving safe and consistent access to meals.”
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Winfrey is doing more than contribute $1 million to one fund though. She is also donating an additional $9 million to other relief efforts across the country.