Rihanna visits homeless veterans, donates clothes and food
"She cares about us and she showed us. And she’s going to take care of business," a veteran said of Rihanna.
Rihanna is being lauded for her giving spirit after donating clothes and food to homeless veterans in Los Angeles.
The pregnant Bajan superstar recently made a surprise visit to the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus. Not only did she donate essential items such as food and clothes, she also spent quality time with the veterans.
Checkpoint app founder Sennett Devermont, who accompanied Rihanna on the visit, shared on social media just how much an impression she made.
“I met Rihanna! The greatest singer on earth. She donated clothes, food and she cares about the veterans,” a veteran said in a video posted to Instagram by the AFTP Foundation and Devermont.
“United States Army veterans. US Marine veterans. Air Force veterans. She cares about all the veterans. She cares about us and she showed us. And she’s going to take care of business,” the veteran added.
“Despite all circumstances of how veterans are treated sleeping in tents on asphalt or tiny sheds on land they should call a home, I can say hope and joy was spread to the Veterans. The authenticity of actually caring and listening was beyond the amazing supplies that @badgalriri donated. Rihanna made that happen when she visited the vets today. Honored to have been witness to this!” he captioned the post.
Devermont expressed gratitude to Rihanna in another post for taking the time to meet with veterans and learn more about their circumstances.
“Thank you @badgalriri for pulling up with all the love and support and most importantly your ears to listen to Veterans,” the activist wrote on Instagram, sharing three pictures of himself and Rihanna on the campus.
“Shoutout to all those asking questions and wondering why veterans are sleeping in tents, using porta potties, cold and unhealthy meals, curfews, and on a 388 acre property funded in the billions with broken showers? Why do veterans only have 1 washer and dryer on the property and limited to 1 load a week?” he continued.
Devermont continued with other pressing concerns that veterans have.
“Why do female veterans feel unsafe, don’t have a dedicated bathroom, and aren’t given feminine hygiene products? Why are veterans sleeping in 64 sq ft tiny homes? Why are veterans sleeping in tents on asphalt? A home they don’t give the veterans a key to. The VA says they are very concerned with veterans privacy to the point, veterans can’t have family, friends or advocates visit their “home”? CTRS is where I believe 100 veterans live. CTRS stands for care, treatment, rehabilitation, services. If that was true, veterans would be getting better there in their homes,” he posted.
This is just the latest example of Rihanna giving back to the community. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her nonprofit organization, the Clara Lionel Foundation, donated $5 million to coronavirus efforts, theGrio previously reported.
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