The Clooneys Donate $1 Million To Anti-Defamation League | JP Morgan Splits $1 Million With ADL & SPLC
/George and Amal Clooney realize there is work to be done in America. The worldly couple deeply involved in social justice movements in Sudan and other dire places globally have turned their attention to America, in the wake of Charlottesville.
In the aftermath of the white supremacy marches near the University of Virginia, two organizations, in particular, are receiving support from big donors: the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center).
Thanks to a $1 million grant from the Clooney Foundation, and another $1 million from Apple's president Tim Cook, the Southern Poverty Law Center is working hard to take down hate groups across America.
"Amal and I wanted to add our voice—and financial assistance—to the ongoing fight for equality," George said in a statement, per the SPLC grant announcement. "There are no two sides to bigotry and hate."
"We are proud to support the Southern Poverty Law Center in its efforts to prevent violent extremism in the United States," George and Amal said in the grant announcement. "What happened in Charlottesville, and what is happening in communities across our country, demands our collective engagement to stand up to hate."
JPMorgan also responded to events in Charlottesville donating $1 million that is split between the SPLC and ADL in response to the violent protests in Charlottesville.
Peter Scher, head of corporate responsibility and chairman of JPMorgan, wrote a letter to staff Monday wherein he asserted the bank “stands in support of all those who reject racism and violence,” and pledged to support both the SPLC and ADL in their campaign of “tracking, exposing and fighting” hate groups and other extremist organizations.
Scher announced that the bank will launch a two-for-one match for employee donations to groups that promote human and civil rights up to $1 million. JP Morgan has also earmarked $50,000 for the Charlottesville community foundation. Apple is running a similar two-for-one match program for employees beyond the company's $2 million donation to the two organizations.
ADL's online donations last week increased six-fold versus the average for 2017 and the amount of funds raised increased 1,000 percent, Betsaida Alcantara, the spokesperson, added. "We are proud that the great majority of the individual online donations came from first-time donors," ADL told CNBC.
Richard Cohen, the president of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said in his own statement emailed to CNBC: "Now more than ever, America's leading institutions must speak out against white supremacism. While we appreciate JPMorgan Chase's contribution, we are even more grateful for its strong public position against hate and bigotry."