Rihanna and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey donate $15m toward mental health services via her nonprofit The Clara Lionel Foundation
- Money is earmarked toward mental health services amid social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic
- Pop superstar and tech leader have collaborated on charitable endeavors on multiple occasions
- Nonprofit cited issues in Chicago and Newark that require immediate attention
- The We Found Love singer set up the foundation in 2012
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Rihanna continues to shine bright like a diamond.
The 32-year-old singer and entrepreneur, in a joint effort with Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and his #StartSmall initiative, is putting forth $15 million from her nonprofit, The Clara Lionel Foundation, to go to mental health services amid the challenging times of social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic.
The Umbrella vocalist’s foundation said in a statement: ‘Racial injustices perpetrated by systems built to keep people safe are exacerbating the coronavirus’s mental health impact on individuals and families across the United States.
The latest: Rihanna, 32, in a joint effort with Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and his #StartSmall initiative, is putting forth $15 million from her nonprofit, The Clara Lionel Foundation, to go to mental health services amid the challenging times of social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic
‘Even as the majority of states have begun lifting restrictions in recent days, millions of Americans continue to face daunting challenges when it comes to their health, mental and economic wellbeing.’
The You Da One singer’s organization pointed at cities including Chicago and Newark, New Jersey as places where the prevalent factors have created dangerous environments for the populace.
‘In Newark, which has one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the country, senior citizens, low-income families and homeless individuals are facing impossible decisions everyday: whether to buy groceries or pay utility bills, risk eviction or risk crowded shelters,’ the foundation said. ‘In Chicago, racial disparities are contributing to alarmingly disproportionate rates of infection and death among Black and Brown people.
The Barbados-born beauty’s foundation noted the ‘dramatic rise in demand’ for increased providers of mental health and suicide prevention support, ‘particularly those serving children, at-risk students and LGBTQ youth,’ necessitating the donation.
The Barbados-born beauty’s foundation noted the ‘dramatic rise in demand’ for increased providers of mental health and suicide prevention support
Mindful: Dorsey and the S&M singer have past collaborated on charitable endeavors
The foundation said they were ‘donating more than $15 million to organizations focused on addressing mental health issues, food insecurity, income loss and the needs of individuals excluded from federal stimulus programs in Newark and Chicago.’
The large donation will be parsed among a number of organizations, including the Trevor Project, Newark Emergency Services for Families, Greater Chicago Food Depository and Bright Star Community Outreach, among many others.
It’s the latest in a series of donations from the pop superstar and tech leader, as Rihanna’s foundation has donated more than $36 million toward coronavirus relief.
The Rude Boy singer set up the foundation eight years ago to enrich ‘groundbreaking and effective education and emergency response programs around the world,’ according to the organization’s website.
