Rihanna helps New York by donating equipment to combat coronavirus

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo thanked Rihanna and her Clara Lionel Foundation for donating much-needed personal protection equipment (PPE) to New York State. Cuomo tweeted that “We’re so appreciative of your help and that of so many others who have stepped up.”

As the U.S. epicenter for the COVID-19 pandemic, New York currently has nearly 5 percent of the world’s coronavirus cases. To help protect health care workers and mitigate the spread of this disease, PPE is needed, which includes medical gloves, N95 face masks, medical safety goggles, full-length isolation gowns, and sanitation wipes. Although we don’t know exactly which items of PPE Rihanna and her Foundation have donated, all of these are needed and appreciated.

It’s not the first time that Rihanna has stepped up to help with the global fight against this pandemic. Her other charitable efforts include her Clara Lionel Foundation’s $5 million donation to numerous organizations to help global healthcare efforts in this country as well as in the Caribbean and Africa. The organizations include The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, Feeding America, Direct Relief, the International Rescue Committee, and Partners in Health.

The Clara Lionel Foundation, founded in 2012, is named in honor of Rihanna’s grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite.