How Taylor Swift, Rihanna, & More Celebrities Are Helping Fight The COVID-19 Pandemic!

As cities around the country are urging self-isolation in order to help combat the coronavirus pandemic, causing school shutdowns, layoffs, and the closing of small businesses, celebrities are doing what they can to help out — and not just by entertaining the masses with live-streamed concerts and talk shows!

Plenty of stars are putting their money where their mouths are by donating large sums of money and resources to help find a cure for COVID-19 and provide aid to the less fortunate.

See which stars are fighting the good fight (below)!

Dolly Parton

On April 1, the music legend announced she’s donating $1 million to a research team at Vanderbilt University currently working to find a cure for coronavirus. She explained on Instagram:

“My longtime friend Dr. Naji Abumrad, who’s been involved in research at Vanderbilt for many years, informed me that they were making some exciting advancements towards research of the coronavirus for a cure. I am making a donation of $1 million to Vanderbilt towards that research and to encourage people that can afford it to make donations.”

Taylor Swift

As many small businesses have had no choice but to shut down during the pandemic, Tay decided to lend a helping hand to Nashville record store Grimey’s New & Preloved Music after the city’s mayor issued a stay-at-home order forcing the company to send its employees home.

According to Rolling Stone, the Shake It Off singer is supplying the store with money for each employee and three months’ worth of health care. Grimey’s co-owner Doyle Davis told the outlet:

“We were very surprised, and I would have to say amazed, that Taylor Swift reached out to us through her publicist to offer some relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. I didn’t even know we were on her radar, but she really stepped up to help after the recent tornadoes that struck Nashville and middle Tennessee, and now she’s trying to help a beloved small business in her city. Taylor generously offered some direct relief to my staff and to cover three months of our health care costs for our group-insurance plan.”

Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds help coronavirus causes — (c) WENN

Earlier this month, the power couple announced they’re donating $500,000 to Food Banks Canada and $500,000 to Feeding America. The actor said on Instagram:

“I think we can all agree, Covid-19 is an a**hole”

Billy Joel

The Vienna singer and his wife Alexis announced that their foundation, The Joel Foundation, would be making multiple donations to help combat the pandemic, including a $500,000 contribution to help buy personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. They wrote in a statement on his website:

“So many of these heroic healthcare workers are risking their own lives. We cannot begin to express our gratitude for them and our concern for their well-being.”

Ricky Martin

The signer took to Instagram last week to announce the launch of a new campaign through the nonprofit organization Project Hope which aims to help health care workers save lives across the world. He said in the video:

“In a situation like this, I need to do stuff. As you know, health care professionals are extremely vulnerable and professionals around the world don’t have personal protection equipment they need to prevent them getting infected.”

Selena Gomez

The Rare songstress took to Twitter on March 30 to send love — and financial support — to healthcare workers on the frontline by making a donation to Cedars Sinai. She tweeted:

“I’m donating to @CedarsSinai as they are low on masks and ventilators. They’ve taken such good care of me so it’s my turn to show my gratitude.”

Rihanna

RiRi’s nonprofit organization, the Clara Lionel Foundation, donated $5 million to various organizations like Direct Relief, Partners In Health, Feeding America, the International Rescue Committee, and World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund to support underserved communities from the U.S. to Malawi as well as the healthcare professionals working to keep them safe.

Shawn Mendes

The Stitches singer’s non-profit, The Shawn Mendes Foundation, donated $175,000 to the Toronto-based Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) for emergency medical resources to combat COVID-19 and efficient care to patients, families, staff and the overall community.

He said on Instagram:

“For the next month, all donations to The Shawn Mendes Foundation will go towards SickKids Hospital & relief efforts around the world by the @WHO.”

Lady GaGa

Earlier this month, the songstress’ makeup brand, Haus Laboratories, announced that it would be donating to the L.A. Regional Food Bank and Food Bank for New York City, sharing on Twitter:

“We believe this is a time to choose compassion over fear.”

Ciara & Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson and Ciara are helping coronavirus fight — (c) WENN

The Goodies singer and her Seattle Seahawks quarterback husband announced that they are donating a million meals to the Food Lifeline, which provides nutritious meals to the food insecure in Western Washington.

Ciara said in a video shared on Tuesday:

“We want to encourage everyone out there to join us in whatever way you can, big or small. Everything makes a difference.”

Brad Paisley

On March 17, the country crooner revealed that his Nashville grocery store, The Store, which provides free groceries to the needy, would be making deliveries to seniors.

Dierks Bentley

The singer and owner of gastropub Whiskey Row gave his 90 hourly employees $1,000 to help get them through this difficult time. He also urged fellow bar owners in Nashville to help their staff, writing on Instagram:

“I encourage all bar owners on Lower Broadway to take care of bartenders, bar backs, waitresses, security, dishwashers, etc the best they can. Let’s make sure we help the folks that help make the music happen.”

Justin Bieber

Biebs was one of the first celebs to take action. On February 13, the singer revealed that he made a donation to support China as the country was the first to be ravaged by the virus. He wrote on Instagram:

“Watching the news I couldn’t imagine how scary it would be if a new disease was effecting my wife and my family and friends. China we stand with you as a collective humanity and have made a donation to support.”

Justin Timberlake

On March 15, the superstar announced that he made a donation to the Mid-South Food Bank in his hometown of Memphis, telling his followers:

“This is a crazy time, but remember we’ll all in it together. Start small and support your local communities by getting food out to those in need. Every. little. thing. helps.”

Megan Thee Stallion

The rapper wanted to support the fans who supported her over the years by paying their bills during the outbreak. She tweeted on March 12:

“Since y’all have been going so hard supporting me I wanna support y’all and bless them pockets real quick !!! Drop y’all’s cash app names.”

Lil Nas X

The Old Town Road rapper also wanted to give his fans a helping hand, writing on Twitter:

“hey guys drop ur cashapp… gonna send some of u some money to go get some food then stay inside.”

Donatella Versace

The famed designer and her daughter Allegra donated around $216,000 to the intensive care unit of the San Raffaele Hospital in Milan. They shared in a joint statement on Instagram:

“In times like this, it is important to be united and support however we can to help all those who are in the front lines, fighting every day to save hundreds of lives.”

G-Eazy

The rapper has teamed up with his Endless Summer Fund and Larkin Street Youth Services to provide meals to local at-risk youth in San Francisco — every day for an entire month.

Vanessa Hudgens

Days after making cavalier comments about the pandemic that drew the ire of social media, the actress shared a screengrab of her donation receipt to Feeding America on March 13, writing on Instagram: