George and Amal Clooney announced Tuesday they will donate $500,000 to the student-led “March for Our Lives” rally in Washington and will walk in the protest on March 24 protest to push for gun control.
“Amal and I are so inspired by the courage and eloquence of these young men and women from Stoneman Douglas High School,” George Clooney said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.
“Our family will be there on March 24 to stand side by side with this incredible generation of young people from all over the country, and in the name of our children Ella and Alexander, we’re donating $500,000 to help pay for this groundbreaking event. Our children’s lives depend on it.”
The “March for Our Lives” protest was announced Sunday in wake of the Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead.
The Clooneys’ are the latest to join a growing list of celebrities who have announced their support for student efforts including Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Cher.
Film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife Marilyn have also announced their intention to donate $500,000 and participate in the march following the Clooney announcement.
“Marilyn and I are proud to stand with the brave young leaders from Parkland, Florida,” Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a statement. “We will join Amal and George Clooney on March 24 to stand alongside these remarkable young people. We are also donating $500,000 to March for Our Lives to support this historic event.”
The March for Our Lives is not the first cause the Clooneys’ have put their support behind. In August, the couple made a $1 million dollar donation to the Southern Poverty Law Center through their own Clooney Foundation in response to the Charlottesville protests.
Oprah Winfrey joined the donation fray later on Tuesday.
“George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to ‘March For Our Lives.’ These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard,” she tweeted.
Movie director, producer, and screenwriter Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, also announced that they would give a donation of $500,000 to the event.
