Philanthropists donate $4M during outbreak
With all of us living in seclusion and fearing the unknown during the outbreak of the coronavirus, some residents are reaching out to others and giving their best to communities throughout Fairfield County and beyond.
Greenwich residents and philanthropists Ray and Barbara Dalio donated $4 million in support of charities that are helping those impacted by COVID-19 in Fairfield County, including residents who need food. Portions of this generous donation will go to Foodshare, to purchase 14 trailers of food that will be distributed across 64 sites statewide to feed 35,000 people for 10 weeks; and to the Connecticut Food Bank, which will distribute the funds to a statewide network of more than 300 member agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, residential programs, senior and veteran centers, and day programs for low-income adults and children across its sixcounty service area.
Takeout… Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who live in Chappaqua, N.Y., sent over 400 pizzas to hospitals throughout Westchester County, N.Y., last week with a note that said, “Thank you for keeping our community safe.”
Donating… Fashion icon Ralph Lauren of Bedford, N.Y., donated $10 million from the Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation to benefit charitable organizations associated with the coronavirus. Portions of the donation will also provide financial grants to help Ralph Lauren employees impacted by the outbreak through medical, childcare and elder care. He also made donations to the World Health Organization COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and the company’s Park Pony Fund for cancer research. The foundation will also donate $1 million to Vogue and the CFDA’s A Common Thread initiative. The Ralph Lauren brand is also researching how it can aid in the production of medical-grade masks, gowns and other hospital materials.
Stricken stars… The list of celebrities with COVID-19 is growing and now includes singer Josh Groban; actor Idris Elba and his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba; U.S. Sen. Rand Paul; activist Greta Thunberg; actor Aaron Tveit; actress Debi Mazar;
Bravo TV host Andy Cohen; former “Bachelor” Colton Underwood; actor Daniel Dae Kim; James Bond actress Olga Kurylenko; actress Rachel Matthews from “Frozen 2;” “Game of Thrones” actor Kristofer Hivju; shamed movie producer Harvey Weinstein; Jeff Shell CEO of NBC; singer/ songwriter Jackson Browne; singer Charlotte Lawrence; Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan; opera star Placido Domingo; singer Natalie Horner; rappers Scarface and Slim Thug; Broadway actress Laura Bell Bundy; music executive Lucian Grainge; record producer Andrew Watt; Sean Payton, head coach of the New Orleans Saints; Boston Celtics Marcus Smart; retired NBA player Jason Collins; Prince Charles of Wales; Prince Albert II of Monaco; UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson; Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.