• by Melynda Fuller , April 14, 2020

Verizon Media is supporting mental- and public-health response efforts to COVID-19 through a $10 million donation in advertising inventory.

The company wants to raise awareness and activate resources by focusing on mental-health organizations that support diverse and vulnerable populations most affected by the crisis, including LGBTQ youth, hourly wage workers and families struggling with mental-health disorders.

The donation will support organizations that have seen an increase in demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic, including Child Mind Institute, Crisis Text Line, Empower Work, Mental Health Foundation and The Trevor Project.

“At a time like this, it is essential for all of us to work together and do what we can to support the world’s physical, mental and emotional health,” Guru Gowrappan, CEO, Verizon Media, stated. “Our ad inventory reaches hundreds of millions of people as they come to us on a daily basis for trusted news and information during this difficult time. By partnering with these incredible organizations, we can make a difference in the well-being of our community and society.”

The initiative will also boost response efforts for the CDC and WHO.

Partners can expect support from Verizon Media’s ad creative technology team, which will build their campaigns across formats including display, video and native. The campaigns are set to run across Verizon Media owned-and-operated properties like Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Huffpost and TechCrunch, as well as third-party properties within its advertiser platform.

Joining Verizon Media’s stable of properties is a new site called Yahoo Life.

Gowrappan stated: “Both the anxiety of contracting the virus, as well as the increase in loneliness and isolation, can significantly affect your well-being. Through Yahoo Life, we have an opportunity to provide an additional and valuable resource to those who might be searching for resources during this difficult period.”

Yahoo Life focuses on a range of topics related to well-being, including mental health, fitness, parenting and tips from experts.

The donations come as Verizon Media releases its findings from a recent poll exploring reader feelings about COVID-19 as a brand-safe topic.

According to the poll, 77% of respondents said seeing ads next to coronavirus news stories on online sites either has no impact on their feelings about the brand or makes them feel favorably toward it.

Among the respondents, 83% felt companies should show leadership in encouraging people to prevent the spread of the virus.

The most beneficial forms of content that drive favorable feelings about a brand for readers include interviews with credible experts, touching stories and medical and vaccine updates. Some 63% of respondents said they look for fact-based content, while 61% looks for trustworthy news. Also, 58% of respondents use online news sites to keep up to date about the coronavirus and 47% of respondents use social media to stay informed.

As Yahoo Life launches, 34% of respondents were interested in lifestyle-centered content, with 75% of those readers expressing interest in news about how to stay health and 60% interested in learning how to reduce stress.