5 Big Brands Giving Back To Help With COVID-19 Relief
What do Oprah, Walmart, and Amazon have in common with Louis Vuitton? Brand recognition? Yes, but more importantly, they are doing their part to help with COVID-19 relief efforts.
Walmart’s Grant Commitment to COVID-19 Relief
Walmart has committed to donating $35 million for COVID-19 relief. The funds are being distributed in a series of grants.
Walmart’s grants and in-kind contributions are going to organizations around the world, including Africa, South America, Canada, Chile, India, and several other countries, spanning the globe.
Outside of direct donations and in-kind support, we’ve been working within international markets to support small businesses, helping relieve some of the pressures of operating for our small business partners wherever we can.
Walmart
Read More about WalMart’s COVID-19 efforts here
Target’s Pledge To Help Those Affected By The Pandemic:
Target has pledged $10 million to COVID-19 relief, which is actually part of a larger $300 million that the company plans to use to invest in their team members. In the midst of this crisis, when many companies are laying off workers, Target has actually increased base pay for their employees by $2 per hour, instituted a paid leave program, and increased bonuses.
The $10 million relief fund contributions will be a joint effort by Target, and the Target Foundation will go both to helping employees affected by COVID-19, as well as assistance to various organizations helping with relief efforts.
Target is specifically giving $5 million in the form of grants to nonprofits that support underserved communities.
Amazon started a $5 million Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund
This fund helps Seattle small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The fund delivers cash grants to businesses with fewer than 50 employees or less than $7 million in annual revenue. These businesses will use the funds to retain and pay their employees, stay current on their rent, and cover other fixed costs related to their operations.
Other tech companies helping to financially support individuals impacted by the outbreak include Uber, Salesforce, Cisco, Microsoft, Lyft, Square, Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Apple. They have all made commitments to pay hourly and other contingent workers impacted by reduced staffing requirements. Google also provided $25 million in donated ad credit to WHO and government agencies. They have also pledged $1 million to local Mountain View organizations to support small businesses and increase STEM and computer science opportunities in Mountain View schools.
Louis Vuitton is producing protective wear
Luxury brand Louis Vuitton has converted its workshops to produce nonsurgical face masks and hospital gowns to help during the coronavirus pandemic. A representative from Louis Vuitton said:
Masks will be donated and distributed in states currently most heavily impacted by COVID-19, and Louis Vuitton will partner with local organizations in each state leading the COVID-19 response effort
Additionally, the brand’s parent company LVHM said it would use perfume production lines to instead make hand sanitizer that could fill sanitary gel shortages in France.
The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation will donate money to organizations
These donations are intended for organizations dedicated to helping underserved communities in Chicago, Baltimore, Nashville, Milwaukee, and Kosciusko, Miss., where she was born.
After a conversation with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other leaders, Oprah decided to give $5 million to Live Healthy Chicago. They provide immediate support to seniors and high-risk residents affected by the coronavirus.
She will give $2 million to NashvilleNurtures, a collaboration with Mount Zion Baptist Church and Tennessee State University. They plan to feed 10,000 families in and around the city.
Oprah will be giving a $100,000 donation to SaintA and The Nia Imani Family, Inc. in Milwaukee. The donation will assist those in need of housing and mental health care.
A not so big brand is doing its part for COVID-19 relief
A week before the ‘lockdown’, GrantWatch’s Customer service department began getting an increased number of requests for COVID-19 grants. It became apparent that they need to do something about the pandemic. The research team began the hunt for grants and loans that would help the customers. They created a category specifically for these grants. As of today, there are over 700 COVID-19 grants listed.