Google raising cash for 5,000 needy families, CEO Sundar Pichai donates $1 million

Google is looking to raise cash to support 5,000 needy families in San Francisco Bay Area as coronavirus pandemic has led to an economic fallout in its backyard.

The company’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, and chief executive Sundar Pichai, have each donated $1 million to GiveDirectly, which delivers cash to families enrolled in a federal nutrition assistance SNAP programme, the company announced on Sunday evening.

The goal is to raise $5 million so that each family could receive $1,000, it added.

GiveDirectly will give money to families in Bay Area ZIP codes most affected by the pandemic, according to its official website. As of Monday, it had raised $2.45 million in cash.

Google said it has put a call out its Bay Area employees and “others” in to donate.