Broadway Cares to Donate $150,000 to Orlando Organizations in the Name of Theater Community

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will donate $150,000 on behalf of the Broadway community and all Broadway Cares supporters to three service organizations in central Florida committed to providing emergency assistance to the victims of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting and their families.

The organization will award emergency grants of $50,000 each to Equality Florida, the GLBT Community Center of Central Floridain Orlando, and the OneOrlando Fund.

"Broadway Cares has carefully vetted the three organizations receiving these emergency funds," Executive Director Tom Viola said in a statement. "Too often after such tragedies, well-intentioned people and those with more nefarious motives rush to solicit donations without the infrastructure, ability or genuine intent to reach those who need it most. By partnering with these credible, established entities within the Orlando community, we can be confident that funds raised by the Broadway community will deliver meaningful, immediate and long-lasting help."

These emergency grants are in addition to $218,500 provided in 2015 by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS through its annual National Grants Program to 23 HIV/AIDS and family service organizations across Florida. Since 1988 BC/EFA has raised more than $285 million for essential services for people with AIDS and other critical illnesses across the United States.