Matt Ryan donates $100,000 to Atlanta charities in wake of COVID-19 outbreak

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan took $100,000 out of his pocket to assist those affected by the coronavirus in Atlanta.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan is giving back in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to ESPN’s Vaughn McClure, Ryan will donate $100,000 to Atlanta local charities to help those around the area who have been affected by the virus. The money will go to Atlanta Community Food Bank and Giving Kitchens.

The goal of Ryan’s donation is to support local restaurant and food service workers whose jobs will be hurt as people around the state of Georgia decide to stay home rather than eat out in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

"These places aren’t getting their typical income, so hopefully this helps [the workers] get through a little bit of a difficult time," Ryan told McClure. “We’re not sure how long this is going be or how slow it’s going to be during this time. Hopefully, we can help people get through the next week or two to help cover their bases.’’

As it currently stands, there are 121 confirmed cases of the virus in the state of Georgia. As a result, schools have been closed while Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms ordered public gatherings of more than 50 people cease.

Many restaurant chains around the area are also closing down for the time being, causing countless employees to suddenly go without income.

Ryan hopes that his donation will help keep some of these people afloat as they go without work for an indefinite period of time.

“We thought it would create awareness for one of the industries that’s going to struggle during this time,” Ryan said.