Metallica Foundation Donates Millions to Workforce Education and Relief Efforts

Metallica and their All Within My Hands Foundation appeared on CBS Sunday Morning on Nov. 30. They discussed the group's humanitarian efforts, including job training, hunger relief, and disaster aid. The foundation has given more than $10 million to job training programs at trade schools and community colleges over the years.

The segment showed all four band members. It showcased Carmen DeBerry, one of 9,000 Metallica Scholars who received money through the program. DeBerry finished trade school with help from the foundation and now drives trucks for a living.

"I mean, to be honest, I didn't know when I first signed up that it was through Metallica; they just called it a scholarship," said DeBerry to CBS News.

The foundation has raised nearly $20 million since 2017. The group also sent money to help people after the California wildfires and put on Helping Hands benefit concerts.

Bassist Robert Trujillo explained why they started this work. "We all came from, I mean, pretty humble beginnings," said Trujillo. "At a certain point you realize, like, hey, you know, we're selling tickets, we're doing well, the ship's not sinking. What can we do to make people's lives better?"

Drummer Lars Ulrich also talked about helping others. "I think instinctively you just want to help. I mean, we all depend on each other — you know, if you really want to break it down, then you go, humans are herd animals and really thrive, you know, the flock does better when everybody is doing well," said Ulrich.

James Hetfield described what happens when they meet scholarship recipients. "We get to go make some people smile out there, deliver the goods by playing songs that saved us in our lives. And then to create a foundation that's giving back to, you know, the blue collar America? We get to go from thousands that are making big noise, that we know we're impacting, but to get a one-on-one, you know, heart-to-heart with somebody whose life you've changed, it changes mine," said Hetfield.

The band started in 1981. They've sold nearly 125 million albums, and their music has been streamed over 17 billion times. Fans can get info on their current tour from their official website.