The Covid-19 pandemic has led to some very tough times but on the bright side, it has also let people show their good (and extremely kind) sides shine. And if you’ve missed out on the few bright spots during the time of crisis, here’s a list of news stories that will most certainly lift your spirits up.
INDIA FASHION DESIGNERS JOIN HANDS WITH OXFAM INDIA TO RAISE FUNDS
#LetsGive4Love is a crowdfunding campaign started on Ketto.org by Indian designers like Kanika Goyal, Ujjwal Dubey, Amrita Thakur, Ruchika Sachdeva, Palak Shah, Pranav Mishra and Shyma Shetty, among others to fight Covid-19. The proceeds from this initiative will go to migrant labourers and daily wagers along with their families. Designer Kanika Goyal says, “It is essential for brands to make sure that their work is empowering in reality, not just in theory. We, as the youth of the nation and as a part of the Indian fashion industry, are doing our bit by coming together for this fundraiser ‘Let’s Give 4 Love’ to help those who are struggling to survive during this pandemic. Shyma Shetty of Huemn adds, “This pandemic has really laid bare circumstances of people around the world who are not as privileged to be comfortable in quarantine and its so important for people of some sort of privilege to reach out and ensure that we can all proceed into a tomorrow that could be more hopeful for everyone.”
NIKHIL THAMPI COLLABORATES WITH PRINTOMAKE
In a one-of-its-kind collection, designer Nikhil Thampi has partnered with a 3D printing company, Printomake to create a range of face masks and face shields to combat the pandemic. The range is made of PLA, a sustainable material which uses tapioca seeds, corn starch and sugarcane extracts as raw material, which are bio-degradable. For the latest update: 50 products from this collaboration were sold out within 72 hours of its launch.
Along with this, the designer also joined hands with DG Foundation, an NGO that is dedicated to uplift lives of the underprivileged children by providing them with basic necessities and help them focus on education.
BOTTEGA VENETA TO SUPPORT THE ITALIAN MEDICAL STAFF WITH TWO-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS
Bottega Veneta announces its support for scientific research in Italy following the spread of Coronavirus. Funding for two-year scholarships across Veneto, Lazio and Campania will contribute to research and the support of Italian medical staff, from the current pandemic and beyond. Equal to €3,00,000, the Maison’s contribution will fund a two-year extension for an employed pneumology researcher in the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health of the University of Padua and two respective scholarships at the Virology Laboratory of the National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome as well as the Microbiology and Virology Laboratory of the Hospital Domenico Cotugno of Naples.
RESSENCE AND SOTHEBY’S WATCHES FIGHT AGAINST CORONAVIRUS
Watchmaker Ressence and Sotheby’s Watch Division are joining forces against coronavirus and launching a competition to design a unique watch. The winning drawing will be turned into a watch and will be offered for sale at Sotheby’s this summer. The proceeds from the sale will Benefit KU Leuven University’s Covid-19 Research Programme.
BENETTON DONATES €3 MILLION
Edizione Srl, the holding company of the Benetton family, will donate €3 million to support the projects and urgent needs of four hospital institutes-as a concrete contribution to the emergency resulting from the epidemiological spread of Covid-19.
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THE DELLA VALLE FAMILY, WHO OWNS TOD’S, IS DONATING € 5 MILLION
Owner of Italian shoe company Tod’s, the Della Valle Family has allocated the sum of € 5 million to support the family members of health personnel who lost their lives in the fight against Covid-19 in Italy. The administration of the fund will be entrusted to the Protezione Civile, and the fund is called Sempre con Voi. This is an open account and anyone is welcome to contribute towards it.
AZIM PREMJI DONATES RS. 1000 CRORES
Business tycoon, philanthropist and chairman of Wipro Limited, Azim Premji committed Rs. 1000 crore ($134 million) through his philanthropic arm, the Azim Premji Foundation. The money will be used for humanitarian aid and for healthcare support targeted at containment and treatment of coronavirus. Software developer Wipro Limited has committed another Rs.100 crore ($13 million), while engineering services company Wipro Enterprises Limited has donated Rs 25 crore ($3.3 million).
RELIANCE CONTRIBUTES TO PM CARES FUND
IMG Reliance’s parent company, Reliance Industries Limited will be contributing Rs.500 crore PM CARES Fund in addition to its multi-pronged on-the-ground fight against COVID-19.
TAJ GROUP RESPONDS TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The Taj Public Service Welfare Trust (TPSWT) will be providing meals to doctors and medical staff at hospitals and selective distribution of food for the needy. The trust, which was set up in 2008, has also started a fund where anyone can contribute.
MARY KOM WILL BE DONATING HER SALARY TO COMBAT CORONAVIRUS
The boxing superstar will be donating her one month’s salary as Rajya Sabha MP, amounting to Rs 1 lakh, to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to combat the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
(Photograph: Colston Julian)
TATA TRUST COMMITS 500 CRORES TO FIGHT CORONAVIRUS
The funds committed by Tata will be used for Personal Protective Equipment for the medical personnel on the frontlines, respiratory systems for treating increasing cases, testing kits to increase per capita testing, setting up modular treatment facilities for infected patients, knowledge management and training of health workers and the general public
MARUTI SUZUKI AND MAHINDRA WILL BE MAKING VENTILATORS AND DONATING MASKS TO COMBAT COVID-19
The Indo-Japanese carmaker Maruti is currently evaluating the possibility of manufacturing the ventilators. Maruti will also donate 1 million triple-ply masks to Haryana Government, out of which 2,00,000 have already been given. Plus, Mahindra Group has announced several measures to help combat the Coronavirus pandemic in India. The conglomerate will immediately work on how its manufacturing facilities can make ventilators and the company will also turn Mahindra Holidays resorts as temporary care facilities.
ZEGNA WILL DONATE € 3 MILLION
Italian luxury house, Zegna, will be contributing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Italian luxury group’s top management have pledged personal donations to the Civil Protection in Italy totalling €3 million. This donation is in support of the nurses, doctors, scientists and volunteers across Italy who have been working tirelessly to fight this epidemic. Plus, the group will also convert a part of its production facilities in Italy and Switzerland to the manufacturing of medical masks, that will provide critical supplies to both Zegna’s employees and to the wider needs in Italy and Switzerland.
Gildo Zegna, CEO of Ermenegildo Zegna
RALPH LAUREN WILL DONATE $10 MILLION TO THOSE AFFECTED BY CORONAVIRUS
80-year-old designer Ralph Lauren will donate $10 million towards Covid-19 relief. It’s the largest donation made by an American luxury conglomerate so far. Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation will be distributing this amount to charities including the Emergency Assistance Foundation and the World Health Organisation’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Plus, the company will also produce 2,50,000 masks and 25,000 isolation gowns.
MAYHOOLA WILL DONATE € 2 MILLION TO COUNTER CORONAVIRUS
Valentino, Balmain and Pal Zileri’s parent company, Mayhoola will be supporting two projects related to the Covid-19 emergency in Italy. The first one is to improve the efficiency and security of the Intensive Care Treatment Unit (ICU) at Sacco Hospital in Milan. And, the second is the new negative pressure ventilation installation, which Mayhoola will donate to the Milanese hospital, will allow medical staff to safely assist coronavirus patients.
INDIAN STARS TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS CORONAVIRUS RELIEF EFFORTS
South Indian superstar Rajinikanth has donated Rs 50 lakh to help daily wage workers. Plus, Hrithik Roshan donated N95 and FFP3 masks for the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) workers along with Rs. 20 lakhs. Comedian Kapil Sharma also came forward to fund the Prime Minister Relief Fund to help fight coronavirus with donations of 50 lakhs. Akshay Kumar will be donating Rs 25 crore to the emergency fund launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat the coronavirus.
Kareena Kapoor Khan will also be contributing to three humanitarian aid organisations – Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund), Give India and International Association for Human Values. Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas also made donations to Donate to UNICEF, PM Cares Funds, among other charities. Other than this, Vicky Kaushal also pledged to make a donation of Rs. 1 crore to PM Cares and Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
ANITA DONGRE SETS UP A Rs 1.5 CRORE FUND TO BATTLE Covid-19
Who said fashion does not have a heart? Anita Dongre announced that her brand will be setting up a medical fund of INR 1.5 crore. This fund will support the smaller vendors, self-employed artisans, and partners who work with the brand and do not have medical insurance or coverage to prepare for medical emergencies arising from Covid-19.
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Fashion designer Anita Dongre
THE STANDARD HOTELS HAVE SET A GOAL TO RAISE $200,000 FOR ITS RELIEF FUND
The Standard Stands Together Relief Fund started by Standard hotels—one of the most powerful names in the boutique hotel business—has set a goal to raise $200,000 for its team. Amar Lalvani, CEO of Standard hotels says, “The hospitality business has never seen anything like what has happened over the past week. We have had to shut our hotels. Something I never dreamed possible. This has left many of our teammates who take care of our guests day in and day out without a paycheck. Some 266 million hospitality workers globally have been impacted by Covid-19. The devastation is staggering. The Standard Stands Together was set up on March 22 to help them our team members who are out of work with basic needs during this difficult time.”
Amar Lalvani is the CEO of Standard hotels
LVMH IS MAKING SANITISERS
To counter the nation-wide shortage of hand sanitisers, one of the largest French luxury conglomerates, LVMH, announced that it will be delivering gels free of charge to the health authorities. The hydroalcoholic gels are being produced in large quantities at the LVMH factories that will were earlier used to manufacture perfumes and cosmetics from Christian Dior, Givenchy and Guerlain.
KERING AND GUCCI CONTRIBUTE SURGICAL MASKS TO HOSPITALS IN ITALY
Responding to the coronavirus pandemic, Kering, which owns brands like Gucci, also contributed to the fight against Covid-19. It has set up up a manufacturing unit for surgical masks and has made a donation to support research about Covid-19. This contribution follows those already made in China and Italy. Gucci has also donated 1.1 million surgical masks and 55,000 medical overalls in Italy. Kering also made donations to the four major foundation hospitals in Lombardy, Veneto, Tuscany and Lazio. Additionally, Kering has released free illustrations in partnership with illustrator Soledad Bravi.
SABYASACHI URGES EVERYONE TO MOBILISE COMMUNITIES
Sabyasachi Mukherjee is known as the Dreamweaver of bridal couture in India. But, with the Covid-19 pandemic, the designer shut shop and let his humanitarian side shine, announcing that the company will still be providing for all its employees during the 21-day lockdown. Mukherjee also urged others to help daily-wage workers who’ll be most affected by this crisis. Recently, the designer announced that he will be donating Rs. 1o million to Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund and an additional 5 million to the Chief Minister of West Bengal’s Relief Fund.
GREY’S ANATOMY IS HELPING REAL-LIFE DOCTORS
Medical professionals fighting Covid-19 are facing a grave shortage of supplies the world over. This is why Grey’s Anatomy, the popular 2005 show themed around the lives of surgical interns and supervisors, has announced that they are donating hundreds of masks, gowns, gloves, and other items they use on-set to local hospitals in need. Other shows following the lead are Station 19, The Good Doctor, The Resident, and New Amsterdam.
AUSTRALIA’S SUPERMARKETS LAUNCH ELDERLY-ONLY HOURS
Stocking up for groceries during such a time is inevitable. But, not everyone can manage to fend for necessities in crowded aisles of the stores. This is why Coles and Woolworths, two of the leading supermarket brands in Australia, have announced a dedicated shopping hour for the elderly and differently-abled from 7-8 am, while setting a precedent for supermarket chains the world over.
LIVE STREAMED CONCERTS
In a time where self-isolation is absolutely necessary, all of us could use some at-home entertainment. So celebrity musicians like Chris Martin and John Legend posted super fun concerts for their fans via Instagram. What’s more, Chrissy Teigen did a little jive while sitting at the piano as she joined her husband John Legend in the video.
DONATIONS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds donated $500,000 to Feeding America and $500,000 to Food Banks Canada. Fashion designer Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra donated €200,000 to help fight the coronavirus pandemic in Italy. Rihanna’s nonprofit organization, Clara Lionel Foundation, has also donated $5 million to support Direct Relief, Partners In Health, Feeding America, the International Rescue Committee and World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, along with many others.
Fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni and her husband Fedez have made a donation of 100,000 euros to support a GoFundMe fund-raiser, which is creating new hospital beds in intensive care areas of Milan’s San Raffaele hospital. Fashion label Limerick donated 3,000 surgical masks free of cost for healthcare officials to Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai. Furthermore, House of Angadi, a luxury handloom and textiles brand, is also giving 100 percent wage support for weavers.
