Today, HRC shares a message of love and support with the launch of HRCares, a Virtual Care Package to our LGBTQ family featuring Pose’s Billy Porter, TLC stars Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, and chef and television personality Melissa King. Porter shares a special Spotify playlist featuring community favorites like Elton John, Shea Diamond and P!nk; Berkus and Brent give a message of support to those most impacted and at the frontline fighting COVID-19; chef Melissa King walks us through a food recipe to provide comfort and warmth during this difficult time; and HRC President Alphonso David shares powerful words in a poem by James Baldwin.

“During these unprecedented and challenging times, our strength and resilience lies within our community and with each other,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “More than ever, it is important to send a message of support to uplift the LGBTQ community and our allies who are directly -- and all too often disproportionately -- impacted by COVID-19. Through HRCares, the Human Rights Campaign hopes to provide a moment of joy and comfort to our LGBTQ family in the form of a Virtual Care Package. We are grateful to Billy Porter, Nate Berkus, Jeremiah Brent and Melissa King for offering messages of love and support during this difficult time.”

HRC recently hosted  a virtual interfaith memorial service, “Remaining Home in Faith: An Interfaith Memorial Service,” in tribute to the lives lost, and anticipated loss of life, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The virtual services are a continuation of HRC’s “Coming Home to Faith: A Search for Common Ground” tour, with a goal of building bridges between the faith and LGBTQ communities. Watch the memorial service here

Next month, HRC and GLSEN, the leading national organization focused on LGBTQ issues in K-12 education, announced it will hold a virtual graduation ceremony to honor the LGBTQ+ high school and college class of 2020 on Friday, May 8 at 4 p.m. ET. As the country is encouraged to practice social distancing, many institutions are canceling or postponing their graduation ceremonies; this effort will honor the nearly half a million LGBTQ+ students HRC estimates are graduating this spring, who may be impacted by these cancellations and disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Those interested can register for the event here.

As we continue to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, HRC offers a number of resources to provide support to our LGBTQ and allied community:

• HRC recently published a research brief outlining the particular health and economic risks faced by the LGBTQ community during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Read the full brief here, and find a full list of all of HRC’s efforts and COVID-19 resources at this link.
• As schools across the country shift to a virtual environment and curriculums transition online, HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools program offers activities and resources for inclusive learning at home. Get the resources here. 
• While people across the country and around the world practice social distancing amid the COVID-19 outbreak, we’re helping you spread some joy via HRC’s new Zoom backgrounds. Our free, downloadable backgrounds are the perfect way to show your pride and promote LGBTQ rights during your next video call with friends, coworkers, family members and more. Access & download HRC's backgrounds here.
• Are you engaging in long-term planning for yourself or your loved ones? Check out this resource about basic estate planning documents everyone should have.
• This year’s election is the most important election of our lifetimes --help make election history with HRC this year with these five actions from home. 
• Flip through our new #WeAreHRC special report to see how HRC Foundation programs touch the lives of everyone – all ages – all identities – all races. Don’t miss the info on Transgender Justice initiatives, our Healthcare Equality Index, and our Historically Black Colleges and Universitites (HBCU) programs.