Quendrith Johnson

by Quendrith Johnson, Los Angeles Correspondent

What do Elliot Gould, filmmaker Billy Ray, and Jethro Tull have in common? The greater good of mankind it seems. The Man/Kind Project, whose funder is Richard Stellar (see bio below), is supported by this unusual grouping, as well as many others. And they are doing good things in COVID-19 times.

Curated by Screenmancer Staff from The Man/Kind Project

LOS ANGELES, CA: The Man/Kind Project, Inc. announced today that they are distributing their 1000th #CovidKindness food and personal care bag, which has been given out to the homeless population in Los Angeles and other groups affected by the pandemic during the stay at home order, on Monday, May 11, 2020. The announcement was made today by Man/Kind founder Richard Stellar, and supporters Rabbi David Baron, filmmaker Billy Ray, iconic song writer Mike Stoller (of Lieber and Stoller), activist / musician Corky Hale and actor Elliott Gould.

The Man/Kind Project is a 501-c-3 nonprofit corporation whose mission is to create positive change through awareness and empathy. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Man/Kind founder Richard Stellar and Man/Kind’s Vice President, actor/activist Anne-Marie Johnson, recognized that majorly reduced foot traffic meant little to no donations for many of Los Angeles’ homeless population, and sought to provide needed aid to these groups.

Says Johnson of the genesis of the project, “with empty streets, the homeless have had a hard time surviving through the pandemic. In response to this, we started putting together and handing out care bags for the homeless, starting in our own communities. I also have been working with my local church who offers services to the homeless to distribute the bags as well. Since then, we have branched out and began to offer #CovidKindness to the elderly and others most susceptible to the virus.” “We have been funded, supported and inspired by empathetic volunteers who sought a way to maintain human contact while servicing those most at risk of the virus," Stellar says.

With donations from the entertainment industry, especially through grants from Mike Stoller and Corky Hale, and with support from writer/director Billy Ray, a full-fledged #CovidKindness campaign was launched that brought grocery and care items to areas where the homeless live.

Man/Kind have also found support from rock legend Ian Anderson of the British band Jethro Tull, who allowed usage of one of his songs for the campaign and got further involved by lending his voice to a Man/Kind video. The Man/Kind Project, through largely volunteer support, is continuing to make and distribute bags throughout the pandemic. For more information on the organization, please visit here.

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Who is The Man/Kind Project?

Building bridges of tolerance and understanding through music and the arts while giving voice to the voiceless, the elderly and under-privileged. The Man/Kind Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit which has developed a care delivery system to the homeless that brings needed products and services to where they are - on the streets, under the freeways and besides the dumpsters.

Our mission is to build bridges of tolerance and understanding between cultures. Man/Kind promotes PEACE: People, Education and the Arts Creating Empathy. We fulfill our mission by creating awareness events in music and the arts that inspires the tolerance and understanding that we seek.

Richard is Stellar

Man/Kind Founder Richard Stellar is an activist who has worked on projects that impact the motion picture industry, including “AGE: Activists for Geriatric Equality”, who connect families to elder care resources and provide a positive online community. Stellar also authors an award-winning guest blog on the industry news site The Wrap that focuses on fighting anti-Semitism through music and art. His leadership during the threatened closure of the Long Term Care unit in The Motion Picture Home led Vanity Fair to refer to his blog as ‘vituperative’.

The Man/Kind Project, through largely volunteer support, is continuing to make and distribute bags throughout the pandemic. For more information on the organization, please visit them here.

Good news for dark times... Stay Healthy & Stay Working on Something. :)

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