What are you doing to help address the coronavirus pandemic?
Charles:
The strain that the COVID-19 crisis has put on people is enormous. Every life lost is a tragedy. The crisis has really brought into focus the idea that we’re all in this together, and it’s shown that tackling a crisis of this magnitude requires every one of us to do our part.
Brian and I shared our perspective at the beginning of the pandemic with an op-ed in USA Today, which you can read here. And I have another article in Fortune, here. We highlight just a few of the many efforts the Stand Together community is supporting with hundreds of partner organizations, as well as the role businesses are playing (more on that below).
We believe people who are closest to a problem are best able to solve it. So, at Stand Together, we immediately looked to partner with people who are on the frontlines of this crisis.
Brian:
This includes supporting partners who are empowering students to thrive outside the walls of a classroom by helping parents bring individualized learning right into their homes; advancing public policy solutions that help every person rise, such as making it easier for people to access health care solutions like telemedicine and for doctors to see patients (reforms supported by more than 80 percent of Americans); and helping get America safely back to work by bringing together business leaders, employees, public health experts, and policymakers to help companies determine how they can safely operate.
And we’re working with hundreds of local organizations to help neighbors most affected by the pandemic in communities across the country.
Our #GiveTogetherNow campaign — a rapid response effort in partnership with Family Independence Initiative — provided direct cash assistance to families who were hit hardest by the crisis. Within the first few weeks, #GiveTogetherNow raised more than $50 million — enough to provide $500 in cash assistance to more than 100,000 families. The project recently surpassed $120 million in donations, helping nearly 240,000 families.
Hundreds of people from all across the country contributed alongside organizations and philanthropies such as Google and Blue Meridian, and others. Athletes and musicians are lending their voices in support as well — from former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones to Oscar-winning director Jimmy Chin to basketball great Nancy Lieberman.
I hope you’ll check it out at GiveTogetherNow.org; 100 percent of your donation goes to the people who have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis.
Stand Together Foundation also launched #HelpTheHelpers, a GoFundMe charity campaign to inspire others to get engaged with nearly 200 community-based partners addressing poverty and addiction.
In less than a week, and with the help of a $2.5 million match from Stand Together Foundation, the campaign raised more than $5.5 million for these groups — making #HelpTheHelpers one of the most successful GoFundMe campaigns related to COVID-19. (You can check it out at HelpTheHelpersToday.org.)
If you are looking for more ways to help others during this crisis, or believe there are ways we can partner together, please email us at MakeADifference@standtogether.org. Things are moving and we’re looking for every opportunity to make a meaningful difference.
