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Musician Billy Joel makes various donations to assist relief efforts during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted at 11:45 AM, Apr 17, 2020
and last updated 2020-04-17 13:45:08-04

Through his foundation, Billy Joel is making various donations to organizations to assist with relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, Billy Joel donated $25,000 through his Joel Foundation to help jazz musicians, who are hurting during the pandemic.

The money was donated to Smalls Jazz Club & Mezzrow, which is located in Manhattan's Greenwich Village, Joel tweeted to his followers.

"The Joel Foundation has contributed $25,000 to Smalls Jazz Club & Mezzrow, a fixture in Greenwich Village for 25 years. Smalls Jazz Club created a not-for-profit company called the SmallsLIVE Foundation for Jazz Art and Education. Their mission is to subsidize the operation of the clubs, independent artist sponsorship's including recordings and tours, their initiative with The New School, emergency funds for jazz musicians in need and extensive audio/video archive. Hopefully, we can relieve some of their hardship and make things a little easier during this crisis."

This marks the third donation the foundation has done amid the pandemic.

The foundation first donated $500,000 in the form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to former Real Housewives of New York Bethenny Frankel's disaster relief initiative BStrong.

The money would be used to purchase masks, coronavirus kits, and hazmat suits to neighboring hospitals, the foundation said in a statement.

The foundation followed up with another donation, this time to Long Island Cares, which was founded by musician Harry Chapin.

The foundation purchased freezer units and additional equipment to their Hampton Bays food bank facility.