Ralph Lauren’s foundation to donate $10 million to coronavirus fight

Company will continue to pay workers through the pandemic and will manufacture gowns and masks for medical workers

By JTA 27 March 2020, 12:19 pm

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Ralph Lauren at his fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2015 in New York City, Feb. 19, 2015. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week/JTA)

Ralph Lauren’s foundation will dedicate $10 million to people affected by the coronavirus.

The company he founded will continue to pay its workers through the pandemic and will manufacture gowns and masks for medical workers.

A statement posted Thursday on the company web page said the money would go toward employees affected by the virus and to the broader fashion community, to cancer patients vulnerable to the virus and to the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Elle reported that separately, the company said on Instagram that it would pay employees while the business was closed.

Women’s Wear Daily reported that the company is ready to manufacture 25,000 gowns and 250,000 masks for medical workers.

Lauren, born Ralph Lifshitz, is the son of Jewish immigrant parents from Belarus. He stepped down as CEO of the company in 2015, but remains its chief creative officer.