SYRACUSE — As of the afternoon of March 24, the COVID-19 Community Support Fund had collected donations totaling more than $907,000, according to Katrina Crocker, VP of communication at the Central New York Community Foundation. The CNY Community Foundation partnered with the United Way of Central New York, the Allyn Family Foundation, the City of […]
SYRACUSE — As of the afternoon of March 24, the COVID-19 Community Support Fund had collected donations totaling more than $907,000, according to Katrina Crocker, VP of communication at the Central New York Community Foundation.
The CNY Community Foundation partnered with the United Way of Central New York, the Allyn Family Foundation, the City of Syracuse, and Onondaga County to establish and grow the COVID-19 Community Support Fund.
This fund will support nonprofit organizations working with communities disproportionately impacted by the economic consequences of the pandemic, Peter Dunn, president and CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation, said. He made the announcement during a March 18 news conference at the CNY Philanthropy Center in Syracuse.
“The fund is designed to rapidly deploy flexible resources in the form of short-term grants on a rolling basis to nonprofits whose operations support vulnerable populations that are stressed by the outbreak. It will focus on immediate needs and safety-net issues, including such things as food security, housing access, childcare, and related issues,” said Dunn.
The Community Foundation will administer “rapid-response” grants from the fund, in partnership with the United Way of Central New York and the Allyn Family Foundation and in close collaboration with the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, and other funding partners to “ensure that the fund has maximum reach and effectiveness,” Dunn told reporters.
“Together, we will identify potential grant recipients and determine grant awards. We are working right now to create a simple online form to expedite grant reviews,” he added.
The Community Foundation committed $300,000 from its general endowment to start this fund, Dunn noted.
“We encourage individuals, institutions, local businesses, and other funders to donate as well,” he said.
“The purpose of this fund is to quickly be able to assist our nonprofits that are on the front lines that people are reaching out to. They’re already increasing services and we’re going to make sure together that we get those services funded and get the needs filled at the nonprofits who are going to connect all our community members with what they need,” Nancy Kern Eaton, president of the United Way of Central New York, said in her remarks during the event.
Donations may be made online at cnycf.org/covid19 or by contacting Thomas Griffith, VP of development at the CNY Community Foundation, at (315) 422-9538 or email: tgriffith@cnycf.org, per a release about the fund.
The coronavirus pandemic represents a battle on two fronts here in Central New York, including a public-health crisis and a threat to the economic stability of so many people, said Dunn.
The outbreak has some people facing “disproportionate challenges” due to unexpected time off from work, unplanned child-care or health-care expenses, transportation or housing issues, or a lack of reliable access to information.
In addition, reductions in donations and support are impacting many local nonprofit organizations and charities, “given the uncertain environment that we suddenly find ourselves within,” he noted.