Aaron Tveit & More Stars to Lead Red Bucket Match-Up Fundraising Competition for BC/EFA

Six stage and screen faves are set to lead the first Red Bucket Match-Up, an online fundraising campaign starting on April 5 to fund Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ National Grants Program. Each donation, which will help those facing challenges from HIV/AIDS, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other life-threatening illnesses, will be matched by Gilead Sciences Inc. dollar for dollar up to $1 million. The competition will run through April 16 with a $2 million goal.

Tony nominees Aaron Tveit and Kathryn Gallagher as well as Jason Alexander, Jordan Fisher, Eric McCormack and Jenna Ushkowitz will take to their social media channels to encourage fans to make contributions to their virtual red buckets, the symbol of BC/EFA's fundraising efforts. Donations can be made here. Each star’s up-to-the-minute fundraising total will be available to track the competition in real time.

“The competitive spirit of these actors and the generosity of Gilead will help fill a critical void that’s deepened for local organizations during the pandemic as requests for help dramatically increase and financial support has decreased,” said Broadway Cares' Executive Director Tom Viola in a statement. "While we hoped to be back in theaters fundraising by this time, we’re excited about the opportunity the Red Bucket Match-Up gives us for this year’s National Grants Program.”

Last May, just weeks after the pandemic shut down Broadway and the 2020 spring in-theater fundraising campaign, Gilead Sciences offered $1 million to help BC/EFA award emergency grants for pandemic relief. They were joined by M‧A‧C Viva Glam, ViiV Healthcare and the P. Austin Family Foundation. BC/EFA's supporters helped raise another $250,000, matched by Gilead, to provide a full $2 million in emergency grants.