Leonardo DiCaprio launches $12 million coronavirus food fund

Celebrities around the world continue to band together and give to those in need during the current coronavirus pandemic, with everyone from Justin Bieber and Jennifer Garner to Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Taylor Swift getting in on the action. Dozens of celebs have put serious coin towards foundations that help out-of-work employees or that fund food banks or deliver medical supplies for frontline workers. Now Leonardo DiCaprio is getting in on the action with one of the most massive funds to date: $12 million and counting.The Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood star solicited some help from Laurene Powell Jobs (wife of the late Steve Jobs), Apple, and even Oprah Winfrey to launch a GoFundMe page to raise cash for America’s Food Funds. So far there’s $12.5 million in the impressive kitty: Powell Jobs and DiCaprio donated a combined $5 million, Apple matched that, and Winfrey kicked in a million bucks too. (Of course, she also donated another $9 million to other charities that fight the COVID-19 battle, because she’s Oprah.)

In the face of this crisis, orgs like @WCKitchen & @FeedingAmerica have inspired us all with their unwavering commitment to feed the most vulnerable people in need. Today, we launched #AmericasFoodFund to support @FeedingAmerica & @WCKitchen's efforts: https://t.co/L7jgB3GUC3 pic.twitter.com/zhV4MawCVj

— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) April 2, 2020

“In neighborhoods and communities around the country, hunger is an issue that people, including families and children, face every day. Our most vulnerable populations — children who are out of school and rely on school lunch programs, low-income families, the elderly, and individuals facing job disruptions — face great barriers to receiving safe and consistent access to meals,” reads the fundraiser description. “Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 37 million people struggled to know where their next meal might come from on a daily basis, a number that we are seeing rise at an exponential rate. We have an opportunity to come together to support our neighbors in this critical time of need.”[video_embed id='1933398']RELATED: Food banks see increased demand[/video_embed]According to the GoFundMe page, Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the country, helping more than 40 million Americans each year through its network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs. The money raised will go towards the organizations that coordinate and distribute meals to those impacted by coronavirus.So far, DiCaprio and Powell Jobs have been getting a lot of support from their equally famous friends, like Ellen DeGeneres, who also shared the donation link on social media, Lady Gaga, who contributed an undisclosed amount, and Black Eyed Peas performer will.i.am, who hopped onto Twitter to also help spread the word. To date there have been 995 donors, which isn’t too shabby considering the campaign only kicked off on April 2. In fact, they’ve already raised 83 per cent of their $15 million goal.“On behalf of Feeding America, I would like to thank Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs, and Tim Cook for their generosity and support, which will help our network of food banks provide food and other resources to communities impacted by this crisis,” said Feeding America’s CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot in a statement. "Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 37 million people in this country did not have consistent access to nutritious meals – including 11 million children and 5.5 million seniors. These numbers are quickly rising, and it is critical that we rally together as a nation to support our neighbours during this time of great need.”It’s probably worth noting that this isn’t the first time DiCaprio has donated a large sum for the good of his fellow man… or animal. Last year he put a cool $5 million towards helping to reduce the number of fires in the Amazon rainforest. He also established the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting wildlife and restoring balance to ecosystems around the world. He also gets major points for being one of Greta Thunberg’s biggest supporters, calling her “a leader of our time” after meeting her for the first time.Once upon a time in Hollywood… stars like DiCaprio gave everyone hope that we can all band together during one of the most difficult times we’ve ever faced as a collective. Now that’s a story worth telling.[video_embed id='1931706']RELATED: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively donate $100,000 to NYC hospitals[/video_embed]