Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams of Cash Money Records have donated over $225,000 to Forward Together New Orleans (FTNO), the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing resources to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be used to pay June rent for hundreds of families living in Harmony Oaks, Marrero Commons, and Guste. Tenants will be notified directly if they are included in the grant, which will go to the landlords.
The Williams brothers grew up in New Orleans and went on to establish Cash Money Records, launching the careers of dozens of artists including Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Nicki Minaj. Giving back to their community and those less fortunate is a priority for the brothers who created their own 501(c)(3) organization The Johnny and Gladys Williams Foundation—named after their parents as a channel for their philanthropic endeavors.
“The legacy of Cash Money belongs to the city of New Orleans, Bryan Williams said. “There’s nothing more important to us than giving back to the brothers and sisters who live on those same streets we grew up on – from musicians to service workers to everyday working families. That’s what this label was always about.”
For over 20 years, via The Johnny and Gladys Williams Foundation, the Cash Money duo has given away free Thanksgiving dinners and partnered with Ochsner Health Systems to provide free health screenings available to all New Orleans residents who come to the turkey give-away.
“New Orleans made us and is part of who we are,” says Ronald. “We are devastated that this pandemic is hitting our community there so hard and we are committed to doing what we can to help now and in the long term.”
The city of New Orleans, Forward Together New Orleans plans to immediately issue checks to the scattered sites to pay for June rent for those tenants who are in the public housing programs, excluding any monies already subsidized by the government and other organizations. FTNO is the Mayor’s Fund which began as Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s transition committee and now plans to continue beyond her tenure as a vehicle that offers nonprofit, partnership support to future New Orleans mayors.
“In years to come, when we look back on how our city came together to get through the coronavirus crisis, we will have no better example of leadership than the Williams brothers, these sons of New Orleans who make our city proud today,” said Mayor Cantrell. “No one should have to fear losing their home while trying to protect their health. That is why we have been leading the charge in New Orleans to make housing more affordable, and quickly banned evictions in our city during the COVID-19 crisis. This helps us continue that path, demonstrating how we can come together as businesses, government, and non-profits to address our residents’ most pressing needs now.”
