John Lamparski/Getty Images
John Lamparski/Getty ImagesBilly Joel has made the first of several major donations towards the fight against COVID-19, via his charity, The Joel Foundation.
A statement from Billy and his wife, Alexis, notes, “As New Yorkers, we have personal ties to so many of these heroic healthcare workers that are risking their own lives. We cannot begin to express our gratitude for them and our concern for their well-being.”
The couple goes on to say that their first donation will be $500,000, which his going to BStrong, a disaster relief charity set up by reality star Bethenny Frankel. Working with the Global Empowerment Mission to source Personal Protective Equipment, BStrong will use the money to purchase “masks, corona kits and hazmat suits for the doctors and nurses in hospitals that are in dire need,” notes the statement.
Seventy-five percent of the donation will go to the New York City and Long Island, NY area — Billy and his wife live on Long Island — while 25% will go to hospitals in New York State.
“Please continue to practice all the guidelines that have been put in place to protect us all,” the couple concludes. “Our thoughts are with every person fighting this illness.”
Recently, Billy and Alexis also sent out a message of support to their close friend, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, whose daily briefings on the pandemic have become a must-watch. Cuomo is the godfather of the couple’s two young daughters, Della and Remy.
The Joel Foundation will be making a series of donations to aid relief efforts due to the coronavirus.@Bethenny and #BStrong in partnership with the #GlobalEmpowermentMission pic.twitter.com/sjEwZ82LKC
— Billy Joel (@billyjoel) March 31, 2020
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