Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw have donated $1 million to support humanitarian relief in Ukraine following Russia’s unprovoked invasion.
Through their philanthropy Hearthland Foundation, Spielberg and Capshaw have allocated the money to several organizations in and near Ukraine, including the Polish Red Cross, Polish Humanitarian Action, World Central Kitchen, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society and Urgent Action Fund.
After Russia’s attack on Ukraine displaced more than a million refugees, Hollywood heavyweights have committed to raising funds and awareness to help those in need. Earlier this month, Mila Kunis, who was born in Ukraine, and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $30 million to go toward relief efforts that help Ukrainian families. And Olivia Colman, Busy Philipps and others have turned to Cameo, the popular video-sharing platform, promising to donate a portion of their proceeds to charity. The Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot, who vocally oppose the Kremlin and president Vladimir Putin, has been using its fanbase to support Ukraine, raising more than $7 million through an NFT.
In the wake of its full-scale attack of Ukraine, Russia has faced swift economic blowback. Several entertainment companies, such as Amazon, Netflix, Disney and WarnerMedia, have decided to pause or entirely withdrawal business in Russia, including theatrical releases and TV channels. In addition to pulling its theatrical movies, Paramount has given a $1 million corporate donation to support humanitarian relief, and CEO Bob Bakish encouraged employees to directly help those in need during the humanitarian crisis. Outside of Hollywood, businesses like Microsoft, Apple and Dell have suspended sales in Russia, while Ikea has closed stores and Nike said it will not continue to fulfill online orders.
Spielberg and Capshaw frequently donate large sums of money to charity, previously giving $1 million to The L.A. Education Recovery Fund to help students affected by COVID-19. Earlier in the pandemic, they endowed $1 million to launch Jewish Story Partners, an L.A.-based film foundation to support diverse Jewish voices.