Whidbey Community Foundation awarded its first round of grants from the newly established COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund to 9 nonprofits, totaling over $40,000.
Grantees of the Fund serve all parts of Whidbey Island, and support our most vulnerable populations affected by the pandemic. Grants were awarded to WhidbeyHealth Foundation, Island Senior Resources, Helping Hand of South Whidbey, The HUB Youth Central, Ryan’s House for Youth, Readiness to Learn, South Whidbey Good Cheer Food Bank, North Whidbey Help House, and Gifts from the Heart Food Bank. Funds will be used toward a variety of needs, including purchasing Air Purifying Respirators for Whidbey Island’s only public-serving hospital, supporting increased demand at food banks, supporting seniors, and coordinating the delivery of food to children and families who would otherwise receive free meals in school and at after-school programs.
The COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund was started by WCF on March 18, with $25,000 seed funding designated by its Board of Directors. Through the generosity and support of the Island community, WCF has already raised over $100,000 for this Fund.
This is the first of several rounds of grants to be awarded through the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund. In the initial phases, WCF is prioritizing grants to community-based organizations that are serving those who are immediately and disproportionately suffering from this crisis. The immediate focus areas include, but are not limited to: food insecurity, economic insecurity, housing insecurity, access to health care and prescription medications, costs related to mitigating virus transmissions, access to transportation, and access to childcare.
In addition to the COVID-19 Community Resilience Fund, WCF has begun a list of resources for nonprofits impacted by coronavirus which will be regularly updated on its website.
If you would like more information about the Fund or would like to donate or apply, you can find more information on WCF’s website: www.whidbeyfoundation.org
Whidbey Community Foundation was formed in 2016 to improve the quality of life on Whidbey Island by providing support for the nonprofit sector, assisting donors to build and preserve enduring assets for charitable purposes, and meeting community needs through financial awards.
Visit WCF’s website www.whidbeyfoundation.org for more information. If you have questions, contact WCF at info@whidbeyfoundation.org or call at 360-660-5041.