Simu Liu is aiming to make sure no one in America goes hungry after doubling a donation at the BoxLunch Gala benefiting Feeding America at City Market Social House in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star was joined onstage by Casey Marsh, chief development officer of Feeding America, to present a giant check for $100,000 to celebrate the 150 million meals the nonprofit and BoxLunch have handed out since 2015.
Liu then surprised the audience by presenting a second check for $100,000 of his own money to match the first donation. Marsh added that both donations would help give out 2 million meals for people in need.
Food insecurity is an issue Liu feels strongly about, as he lived off his parents’ scholarship fund when his family emigrated to Canada from China.
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“We were discount-aisle shoppers at the supermarket, getting all the stuff that was about to go bad,” the actor told Variety. “We didn’t really have any savings to our name, no support system to back us up.”
“You turn the clock back six years ago, I was in credit card debt wondering when I was ever going to be able to break free of minimum payments and interest and the struggling artist’s lifestyle,” he said. “The privilege that I’ve experienced, just how fortunate my life has been, how amazingly blessed I’ve been in these last few years, that’s not lost on me.”
Liu joked that he originally thought BoxLunch sold “artisanal sandwiches” before finding out the company focuses on pop culture-themed merchandise to help Feeding America provide meals to local food banks.
“It is wonderful to revel in one’s success and all that, but it’s truly so necessary, and a responsibility and a duty to give back, to be of service and to constantly look for ways to make the world better with the resources that are available,” he said. “That can happen at any scale.”
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world,” he said of praising and giving back to his parents. “They very begrudgingly continue to support me. It’s been wonderful seeing them light up and getting to enjoy the fruits of our shared success.”
Featured Images via Getty
