The Delaware COVID-19 Emergency Response Initiative has distributed $1.7 million to dozens of community organizations since creating a rapid response fund and a strategic response fund on March 18, including 31 in the past week.
The Initiative is a nonprofit collaborative response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The Delaware Community Foundation (DCF), Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA), Philanthropy Delaware, and United Way of Delaware (UWDE) are partnering to coordinate charitable resources to maximize impact statewide during this crisis.
The Delaware Does More COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund managed by United Way of Delaware distributed $228,750 to 18 organizations, bringing its total to nearly $500,000 over three rounds. It is anticipating distributing its fourth set of grants on or around May 8.
In its fourth round of grants, the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund, managed by the Delaware Community Foundation and Philanthropy Delaware awarded $255,000 to 13 nonprofit organizations providing services to communities throughout the state. To date, the fund has awarded $1.2 million to 49 Delaware nonprofits and will make additional awards on May 1.
Most of the allocations for the United Way’s Rapid Response Fund have been directed to assist low-income and/or homeless individuals and families. Through the first two rounds of funding the allocations have assisted 23,010 Delawareans in 7,670 households and provided 84,310 meals.
Third-round recipient organizations were selected by a committee of funders including United Way of Delaware, the Santora Group CPAs, Delmarva Power, DuPont, Chesapeake Utilities Corp. and Highmark Health.
In response to a 25% surge in caller demand, United Way of Delaware President and CEO Michelle Taylor said the organization has expanded hours for its 211 Helpline and moved the information and referral service to a seven-day-a-week schedule. Delawareans seeking assistance with COVID-19 (and other) questions, can now dial 2-1-1 from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Third-round recipients of the Delaware Does More Rapid Response Fund are:
- Boys and Girls Club ($15,000): Food program, grab/go meals, emergency childcare site, utility assistance for families
- Catholic Charities ($20,000): Food, transportation, basic needs for families
- Community Legal Aid ($10,000): Secure protective orders for victims of domestic violence, court filings, continuing education and outreach efforts for families
- Delaware Center for Homeless Veterans ($15,000): Food, housing (emergency, transitional, permanent), case management/planning for homeless veterans
- Family Promise of Northern New Castle County ($10,000): Serve homeless families with essentials and basic needs
- First State Community Action Agency ($30,000): Housing, food, utilities, transportation, medical, hygiene and cleaning supplies, replenish food pantry for families
- Friendship House ($20,000): Shelter for the homeless, reduce wait list for the homeless
- Jewish Family Services ($10,000): Food, utilities, baby products, basic needs for refugees and families
- Hilltop Lutheran Neighborhood Center ($5,000): Food, weekend care bags for children, hygiene products, thermometers for families
- Latin American Community Center ($30,000): Food, housing & utility assistance, transportation, toiletries and cleaning supplies for families
- Middletown-Odessa-Townsend Senior Center ($2,500): Fresh and shelf-stable foods, meal services, food preparation for seniors
- New Castle County Head Start ($1,250): Face masks for families and staff
- Opportunity Center Inc. ($10,000): Emergency food, housing support, other services for individuals with disabilities
- Bernard and Ruth Siegel Jewish Community Center ($10,000): Food, food prep supplies for seniors, adults and individuals with special needs
- The Shepherd Place ($10,000): Food, utilities, cleaning supplies, protective equipment for homeless shelter individuals and families
- United Cerebral Palsy ($5,000): Food, medical equipment, case management services for individuals with disabilities
- West End Neighborhood House ($20,000): Emergency rent and mortgage payments, hotel vouchers, rental assistance, emergency utilities and food for individuals and families
- Wilmington Senior Center ($5,000): Food, utility bills, non-perishable food for homebound seniors
The 13 recipients of grants from the fourth round of grants from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund were:
- A Wave of Healthy Meals ($2,000): Mealsfor medically fragile individuals in Sussex County.
- Choir School of Delaware ($17,500): Provide virtual afterschool tutoring to students in Wilmington.
- Children & Families First ($20,000): Technology to continue providing telehealth and state-mandated monitoring.
- ContactLifeline ($7,000): Increase staffing to meet increasing demand for the statewide crisis intervention hotline.
- Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition ($15,000): Support social platforms and communications tools to provide survivors with mental health services.
- Delaware Center for Justice ($25,000): Serve individuals statewide re-entering the community after incarceration.
- Delmarva Adult & Teen Challenge Home of Hope ($25,000): Provide housing and services for individuals recovering from addiction in Sussex County.
- Frederica Senior Center ($10,500): Purchase food and personal hygiene items for seniors and veterans in Kent and Sussex County.
- Friendship House ($30,000): Provide housing for homeless individuals in New Castle County.
- Latin American Community Center ($25,000): Provide emergency support for low-income immigrant families in Wilmington.
- St. Patrick’s Center ($20,000): Set up outdoor distribution of food and hygiene kits for vulnerable populations in Wilmington.
- What is Your Voice ($8,000): Technology to serve victims of violence in Sussex County.
- YMCA of Delaware ($50,000): Food for the community statewide and the residents of the Central Y.
In this fourth round, 58 applicants requested a total of $1.9 million from the COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund, which is housed at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF). The Strategic Response Fund has $2.4 million cash in hand and $3.3 million including pledges.
The Longwood Foundation, which previously gave $1 million to the Strategic Response Fund, last week awarded a $500,000 grant, with the stipulation that the DCF must raise a matching $500,000 from the community. To make a gift that qualifies for the match, give at delcf.org/covid19-fund or contact Joan Hoge-North, jhoge-north@delcf.org.
The Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund is part of the Delaware COVID-19 Emergency Response Initiative, a nonprofit collaborative response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The DCF, DANA, PD and United Way of Delaware are partnering to coordinate charitable resources to maximize impact statewide during this crisis.
To contribute, visit delcf.org/covid19-fund.
