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Rihanna Donates Personal Protective Equipment to New York for COVID-19 Outbreak

Photo credit: Dimitrios Kambouris - Getty Images
Photo credit: Dimitrios Kambouris - Getty Images

From ELLE

Rihanna quietly did more than just donate $5 million to COVID-19 relief efforts. The singer has also donated personal protection equipment to New York, the state with the highest number of coronavirus cases in the country. Governor Andrew Cuomo personally thanked Rihanna and revealed her donation on his Twitter. He wrote, "I want to thank @rihanna and the Rihanna Foundation for donating Personal Protective Equipment to New York State. We're so appreciative of your help and that of so many others who have stepped up."

Rihanna's initial $5 million donation was announced last weekend. The singer's Clara Lionel Foundation is giving the money to multiple organizations helping with coronavirus relief, including Direct Relief, Feeding America, Partners in Health, The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the International Rescue Committee, and more.

Rihanna spoke back in February about the importance of stepping up and helping the world create change during her acceptance speech for the President's Award at the NAACP Image Awards.

"Tonight is not really about me, because the purpose is bigger than me, right?" she started. "It’s not bigger than us together, but it’s bigger than me, because my part is a very small part of the work that is being done in this world and the work that is yet to be done."

"If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that we can fix this world together," she continued. "We can’t do it divided. I can’t emphasize that enough. We can’t let the de-sensitivity seep in—the 'If it’s your problem, it's not mine.' 'It’s a woman’s problem.' 'It’s a black people problem.' 'It’s a poor people problem.' How many of us in this room have colleagues and partners and friends from other races, sexes, religions? Show of hands? Well then, they want to break bread with you, right? They like you? Well then, this is their problem, too. So when we’re marching and protesting and posting about the Michael Brown, Jr.s and the Atatiana Jeffersons of the world, tell your friends to pull up."

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