‘Parks And Recreation’ Cast To Reunite For Scripted Special, Raise Money Amid Pandemic

KEY POINTS

The cast of “Parks And Recreation” is reuniting to raise money amid the pandemic
The money will go to Feeding America, an organization that helps distribute food to vulnerable communities
The original cast of the show will be returning for the special episode

The cast of “Parks And Recreation” is reuniting one more time to raise money for the people who are badly affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. NBC announced that the cast will be coming back for a half-hour special later this month.

The news was also confirmed by Amy Poehler, who portrays the character of Leslie Knope on the show, on Twitter. In the video, the actress noted that she and all of the other cast members, including Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, and Rob Lowe, are coming together to raise money for Feeding America, an organization that helps people struggling with poverty and hunger.

The studio also issued a statement regarding the special episode. In a press release obtained by the Hollywood Reporter, the studio noted that co-creator Michael Schur and many writers of the show have collaborated for the upcoming episode. Apart from raising money through the special, the cast has also pledged to donate $500,000 through the month of May.

Talking about the upcoming episode, Schur explained that they were looking to help for quite a while now and felt like they should bring these characters back so that they could provide entertainment to the people and also raise money for those who badly need support amid the crisis.

“I sent a hopeful email to the cast and they all got back to me within 45 minutes. Our old ‘Park And Rec’ team has put together one more 30-minute slice of (quarantined) Pawnee life and we hope everyone enjoys it. And donates!” Schur said.

Leslie Knope wants to let you in on a secret... On April 30, #ParksAndRec is returning to NBC for “A Parks and Recreation Special”. Our workplace proximity associates, along with our neighbors at @StateFarm, are raising money for @FeedingAmerica. Join us! https://t.co/YuyWBTYmrH pic.twitter.com/ZId6Lq3rkJ
— Parks and Recreation (@parksandrec) April 23, 2020

On the other hand, Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, the co-presidents of scripted programming at NBC, explained that they could not think of anyone better than Leslie Knope to unite the country with her “compassion.”

“A huge thank you to Mike Schur and the cast of ‘Parks And Recreation’ for putting this wonderful special together and bringing a smile to all our faces while raising money for such a worthwhile cause,” the statement read.

The series started in 2009 and ran for seven seasons. The show was nominated for numerous Golden Globes, Primetime Emmys, and Screen Actors Guild Awards during its run. Poehler won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014.