In 2017, Metallica formed the nonprofit organization All Within My Hands foundation with the mission of “creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services.” As COVID-19 continues to wreak havok across the world, the band has stepped up to do their part in helping many of those who have been greatly impacted by the pandemic’s devastating economic impact. Specifically, the thrash pioneers announced that they have issued four grants through the foundation, amounting to $350,000.
“In the wake of the spread of the coronavirus, the most vulnerable people in our communities need help now more than ever,” the band said in a joint statement. “All Within My Hands is reaching out with four grants totaling $350,000 to organizations dedicated to assisting those hit hard by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.”
The first grant — of $100,000 — was given to Feeding America, an organization that is working with local food banks, but has been struggling due to a lack of donations, volunteers and food distribution amid the crisis. The second $100,000 donation went to Direct Relief, which is providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers across 22 countries. Another grant of $100,000 was donated to Crew Nation, an initiative launched by Live Nation to help support touring and venue crews who are without work since social-distancing restriction shut down the concert industry. Live Nation committed $10 million to the Crew Nation initiative, with an initial $5m granted to the fund, plus a promise to match the next $5m donated by artists, fans and employees. Metallica’s fourth and final donation was for $50,000 and it went to the USBG National Charity Foundation, which is helping staff within the hospitality industry who have found themselves unemployed after bars, restaurants, coffee shops and other such businesses were forced to close due to the lockdown. In addition, Metallica’s recently launched “Metallica Mondays” concert series — which features weekly livestreams of classic concerts — and fans have been donating money to All Within My Hands during the broadcasts. According to the band, $15,000 has been raised so far.
“We know this is the hardest of times for many of you, but if you would like to support any of these organizations, please feel free to reach out directly to our incredibly dedicated partners, as their needs are very wide-ranging,” Metallica concluded their statement. “Every dollar helps.”
