Oprah just donated $10 Million to combat the epidemic and fight food insecurity

If there's anything that the ongoing public health crisis has shown us, it is that it takes a whole community working together to overcome the challenges of a raging pandemic. While everyday heroes battle it out in hospitals, grocery stores, and sanitation facilities, some of our nation's wealthiest and most influential are stepping up to do their parts as well. Most recently, Oprah Winfrey donated a whopping $10 million to Coronavirus relief efforts and to fight food insecurity across the United States. The media mogul took to Instagram in order to announce her rather generous donation, PEOPLE Magazine reports.

Oprah announced on Thursday that she will be donating $10 million to organizations fighting the deadly COVID-19 virus. Ten percent of those funds will be donated to help those currently facing food insecurity as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. In a post uploaded to Instagram TV, the talk show host spoke with chef José Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen, as well as Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, who is the present CEO of Feeding America. She talked to them about her $1 million donation, which will go to America’s Food Fund, a new social initiative aimed at feeding local communities during this challenging period of time.

The remaining $9 million will be donated to various different charities close to Oprah's heart, such as Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, Texas and the Boys and Girls Club in Kosciusko, Mississippi. While a clip of her exchange with chef Andrés and CEO Babineaux-Fontenot is available on the social media platform, the full conversation has been made accessible for free public viewing on the latest episode of Oprah Talks COVID-19. You can watch the show on Apple TV, with or without a subscription. Of course, the conversation took place online, as all three of them were staying safe by practicing self-isolation and social distancing.

"I know not everybody can donate a million dollars, but I feel like this is the central place to [donate to] if you really want to do something," Winfrey stated during the virtual interview. "I know I can trust my money in your hands." Andrés, who was stunned by the media stalwart's generous donation, could not be more grateful for her act of kindness. He said in response to her announcement, "We are so honored to be in your presence, giving this fund this kind of visibility. We are going to come out of this crisis stronger than ever, making sure we don’t leave anybody behind."

America’s Food Fund was initially launched on Thursday with donations totaling $12 million from numerous celebrities and companies. Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs, and Apple contributed generously. The social initiative will support World Central Kitchen and Feeding America. A press release regarding the launch read, "America’s Food Fund will address the issue of food access in the United States and will provide funding relief to both organizations in furthering their missions to feed the country’s most vulnerable populations impacted by COVID-19, including children who rely on school lunch programs, low-income families, the elderly, and individuals facing job disruptions."

Chef Andrés was among the first few celebrities to offer help during the pandemic, serving food to thousands of helpless passengers and crew members on board the quarantined Grand Princess. it comes as no surprise that he would partner up with these philanthropists to launch a social initiative that will help our country's most vulnerable during this challenging time. If you would like to make your own donation to America's Food Fund, you can do so by visiting the initiative's GoFundMe fundraiser.