Metallica’s All Within My Hands has donated $500,000, on top of a recent $100,000 grant, to help feed Ukrainian refugees through World Central Kitchen.
The metal band’s goal is to raise $1 million for World Central Kitchen by May 31. Its online store is selling exclusive merchandise, as well as other favourite items, and will donate all of the proceeds to the cause.
World Central Kitchen was founded by chef José Andrés to provide meals in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises. It’s providing meals for millions of people who’ve fled Ukraine as it continues to come under attack by Russia.
World Central Kitchen’s #ChefsForUkraine campaign has served more than five million meals to refugees in six countries since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. It continues to serve almost 200,000 hot and nourishing meals a day using a network of chefs and volunteers. It’s also making daily food product deliveries into Ukraine for World Central Kitchen restaurant partners.
The band behind such classic songs as "Creeping Death," "Seek & Destroy" and "Enter Sandman" is comprised of frontman/guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. They formed in 1981 in Los Angeles, and have sold more than 110 million albums worldwide. Along with their management, they started All Within My Hands in 2017, dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger and other critical local services.
Those not wanting to buy anything from Metallica's online store, but who still want to support the effort, can visit the All Within My Hands donation page and choose the World Central Kitchen Ukraine Relief Fund from the drop-down menu.
The next two months will feature events to support the campaign, including a local chapter fundraising competition that starts on May 2 and will run throughout the month. All Within My Hands will also hold auctions and raffles, including the guitars James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett will play the national anthem on at Metallica Night with the San Francisco Giants on May 24.