Ben Affleck and Matt Damon raise $1.75 million for COVID-19 relief

April 16, 2020April 16, 2020 Kevin

Eddy Chen/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Longtime friends Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are doing their part to help with the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the weekend, the two raised nearly two million dollars in an online poker match to benefit Feeding America.

People reports that the two actors invited celebrities Adam Sandler, Tom Brady, Bryan Cranston, Kevin Smith and more to participate in their all in For America’s Charity poker tournament. However, anyone could participate as long as they made a donation of $10,000.

After the final count, it has been revealed that the two raised an impressive $1.75 million for the critical charity.

The two only advertised the upcoming match the day before, with Affleck tweeting, “Excited to announce that I have joined forces with @FeedingAmerica to raise money for folks who need it most. Join me and some familiar faces as we face off in a friendly online poker tournament.”

The two even enlisted professional commentators Michael Loncar and Justin Kelly to narrate the intense Texas hold ’em match, which kicked off promptly at 11 a.m. ET on Twitch.

While the tournament boasted an impressive roster, no one could beat Ebony Kenny, a professional poker player.

In second came actor Kevin Pollak.

Feeding America is one the nation’s largest nonprofit networks of food banks. The organization has become critical as the COVID-19 pandemic caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs and forced schools nationwide, which provided children a stable source of nutrition, to close — forcing food banks to step up.