It’s formed a Covid Collaborative with other giving groups.
Frederick, Md (KM). Here for the duration is how the Community Foundation of Frederick County describes its commitment to work with non-profit organisations during the coronavirus crisis. President and CEO Betsy Day says the Foundaton has joined with other giving organizations, including the United Way of Frederick County, the Ausherman Family Foundation, The Delaplaine Foundation, Helen J. Serini Foundation, the Women’s Giving Circle of Frederick County, The Kahlert Foundation, the William E. Cross Foundation and the Mark and Susan Butt Saturday Mornings Fund, to form the Covid Collaborative.
She says these organizations and donors will quickly respond to ” help non-profits who are seeing an uptick in services from people needing food, utility assistance, rent assistance, behavioral health and other programs that our non-profits provide.”
Among the non-profits that have been provided assistance. “the Religious Coalition, as well as the YMCA, who are collaborating to provide family shelter at Camp Westmont; Mental Health Association to help with 211, and in their call centers where people can call and get information referral based on the needs that they have,” says Day.
Other non-profits include the Buddy Project, which provides laptops and refurbished computers to individuals with disabilities, and the Frederick Rescue Mission.
“We’ve really worked together to fund quite a few different non-profits, and this funding continues,” says Day. “Because as the pandemic unfolds, the needs are emerging. So that’s why we’ve been doing different rounds of funding.”
To date, she says, The Community Foundation has provided $125,000 in COVID Emergency Fund into local non-profits.
It’s uncertain how long this COVID-19 crisis will last, but Day says the Covid Collaborative is in it for the duration. “All I can say is that we’re poised and we’re ready to be in it for the long haul . We’re poised and ready to be nimble and to help out non-profits help the people in our community,”: she says.,
A majority of these non-profits depend on contributions from individuals, some of whom may have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus, and any money that comes in is used for living expenses. “We know that when the economy goes down, needs go up. And we know that when unemployment goes up, so do the needs within our community,” Day acknowledges. “We’re doing our best to address this. We know that when people do have discretionary income again, they will be very generous and they will remember the help that they received.”
By Kevin McManus