Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan announced on Tuesday that he was donating $100,000 to two Atlanta charities, to help with relief during the coronavirus crisis.
In a statement released to the press, Ryan said that he would split the donation between the Atlanta Community Food Bank, which provides food to the needy, and Giving Kitchen, an organization that helps food service workers going through tight financial times, Fox 8 reported.
Ryan said that it just “made sense” for him and his family to step up during these trying times.
“Obviously, there’s a ton of stuff going on right now with a lot of areas that need a lot of help, and we certainly have a lot of friends in the restaurant and food industry here in Atlanta,” Ryan told ESPN. “We felt like [the Giving Kitchen] is a unique and cool organization that has helped different restaurants, people in that industry. We thought it would create awareness for one of the industries that’s going to struggle during this time.”
Ryan also praised the Atlanta Food Bank as “doing a great job.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Peach State has reported 146 cases of the virus with most cases being reported in Fulton and Cobb counties. No deaths have yet been recorded in Georgia.
On Saturday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a public health emergency and closed all public schools until March 31 as part of the state’s response to the virus.
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