A spirited two-week competition among six of Broadway and Hollywood s most charitable stars raised $1,919,254 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS annual National Grants Program. The first Red Bucket Match-Up, an online fundraising campaign which ended Friday, April 16, 2021, supports organizations nationwide that provide lifesaving medication, health care and emergency assistance for those affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other critical illnesses.
Successfully leading the friendly but fierce competition were Jason Alexander (NBC s Seinfeld, Jerome Robbins Broadway, Merrily We Roll Along), Jordan Fisher (Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton, Disney Channel s Liv and Maddie ), Kathryn Gallagher (Jagged Little Pill, Spring Awakening), Eric McCormack (NBC s Will & Grace, Gore Vidal s The Best Man, The Music Man), Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, USA Network s Graceland, Les Misérables film) and Jenna Ushkowitz (Waitress, Fox s Glee ).
Will & Grace), Jordan Fisher (
Glee). Aaron Tveit Joseph Marzullo/WENN
Tveit landed in the top spot, raising $174,125, closely followed by McCormackâs $159,250. In addition, Alexander, Fisher, Gallagher, and Ushkowitz each raised more than $100,000.
Each of the stars used their social media channels to ask for contributions to their virtual red bucketsâa long-standing symbol of Broadway Caresâ fundraising efforts. From live Instagram broadcasts to impromptu musical performances, the six performers courted their fans and followers to help them raise more donations than the other team leaders.
Donations were matched by Gilead Sciences Inc., with the biopharmaceutical company ultimately donating $1 million. The Broadway Cares campaign supports organizations helping those dealing with HIV/AIDS, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and other life-threatening illnesses in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.
âThe competitive spirit of these actors and the generosity of Gilead will help fill a critical void thatâs deepened for local organizations during the pandemic as requests for help dramatically increase and financial support has decreased,â Broadway Cares Executive Director Tom Viola said. âGilead led the funding of our Emergency Grants for Pandemic Relief last year, ensuring grants that we initially feared wouldnât be made. While we hoped to be back in theatres fundraising by this time, weâre excited about the opportunity the
Red Bucket Match-Up gives us for this yearâs National Grants Program.â
Last May, Gilead Sciences offered $1 million to help Broadway Cares award Emergency Grants for Pandemic Relief. They were joined by Mâ§Aâ§C Viva Glam, ViiV Healthcare, and the P. Austin Family Foundation. Broadway Caresâ supporters helped raise another $250,000, matched by Gilead, to provide $2 million in emergency grants.
Despite pandemic-induced challenges to traditional fundraising efforts, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS this week provided a record $2,452,500 in grants to 131 food service and meal delivery programs in 37 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.
The 2021 total tops last year s pre-pandemic support of $2.3 million, a notable 6% increase over what was then a record grant round. These grants are even more critical now as the federal food stamps program addresses a nearly 23 percent increase in need in the past year and 24 million Americans currently say they often or sometimes do not have enough to eat.
The food grants, part of Broadway Cares National Grants Program, ensure that those affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other life-threatening illnesses can get access to healthy meals through food pantries, meal deliveries and other food programs.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Provides $2 45 Million in Food Grants playbill.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from playbill.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.