PHL COVID-19 Fund Continues to Meet Deep Community Needs in Fifth Round of Funding to Nonprofits

PHILADELPHIA, May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The PHL COVID-19 Fund today announced its fifth round of grants, totaling more than $2.4 million to 87 nonprofit organizations serving on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis. The Fund, launched on March 19 and led by the Philadelphia Foundation and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ), has secured $16 million in gifts and pledges and granted more than $13 million to 383 nonprofit organizations providing vital services to individuals facing the wide-ranging and urgent consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.

Continuing its efforts to rapidly deploy funds to the region, the PHL COVID-19 Fund touched a broad range of service areas in its fifth round of funding. Among the organizations receiving grants this week is Maternity Care Coalition (MCC), which aides women and children in Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Maternity Care Coalition is a community-based organization serving pregnant women and families with children up to 3 years old in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty, infant mortality and staggering health disparities. MCC's clients are disproportionately single, poor, unemployed and food insecure. Many face significant trauma, domestic violence and psychological stress.

"Maternity Care Coalition believes that all families thrive when they are healthy and connected to high-quality social services," said Marianne Fray, CEO of Maternity Care Coalition. "We've seen an increased need for emergency supplies and have created a safe, contact free system for getting diapers, wipes, formula, and cribs to those in need."

Funding from the PHL COVID-19 Fund will be used to aid MCC in the provision and shipping of emergency supplies as well as equip MCC clients with adequate technology so they can maintain access to home visiting and support services.

This week, the Fund also spotlighted previous grant recipient Manna on Main Street, which provides to-go meals and groceries to individuals and households in need of supplemental food in Montgomery County. Open seven days a week, the organization on average serves 110 households per weekday at its distribution center. Since the onset of COVID-19, the organization has seen a 54 percent increase in households receiving groceries and a 166 percent increase in distributed meals.

"During the beginning days of the pandemic, we asked ourselves daily: 'Do we have enough food and financial resources to keep up with the demand?'" said Suzan Neiger Gould, Executive Director of Manna on Main. "It is a huge relief to receive a grant from the PHL COVID-19 Fund. This coordinated effort is a life saver to Manna on Main and so many other nonprofits serving the region's most vulnerable individuals and families."

Among those Manna on Main serves are those experiencing homelessness. To keep those serving and being served safe at the distribution center, cloth masks were handed out to everyone who entered the building. Greg, a homeless man, was given a mask but was reluctant to use it. Unbeknownst to the staff, Greg was unaware of the pandemic. When he developed a cough and raspy voice, the staff carefully explained to him the nature of the health emergency. He agreed to let the Manna on Main staff take his temperature each day and began wearing a mask so he could receive his to-go meals.

"Even as we begin to think about what longer-term recovery may look like for our region, we still have neighbors in our communities who continue to face very real shortfalls of basic, urgent needs like food and shelter," said Bill Golderer, President & CEO of UWGPSNJ.  "Because of the generosity of the community, the PHL COVID-19 Fund continues to be able to provide critical grants to the nonprofits at the frontline of this crisis so their work to support our hardest hit and most vulnerable neighbors continues without pause."

"As the pandemic wears on, the demand for life-sustaining services and supplies persists," said Pedro Ramos, President & CEO of Philadelphia Foundation. "The community needs us today, just as much as they needed us when the pandemic began. The work of these nonprofits is urgent and critical, as is our effort to respond to their needs."

The PHL COVID-19 Fund prioritizes supporting people who are hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, such as seniors, people experiencing homelessness, those with disabilities, low-income residents without health insurance, people with substance abuse disorder and survivors of abuse.

The complete list of grantees for the fifth round of funding can be found below and is available at www.PHLCOVID19Fund.org. For more information and updates, follow the fund on Twitter at twitter.com/phlcovid19fund.

The Fund currently totals more than $16 million in pledges and contributions, including close to 5,000 donors -- individuals, families, foundations, businesses, and institutions. Individuals and organizations can donate and find additional information about the PHL COVID-19 Fund via www.PHLCOVID19Fund.org.

PHL COVID-19 FUND GRANTEES: May 14, 2020
Organizations that received funding in this round are:

About Philadelphia Foundation
Founded in 1918, Philadelphia Foundation strengthens the economic, social and civic vitality of Greater Philadelphia. Philadelphia Foundation grows effective philanthropic investment, connects individuals and institutions across sectors and geography, and advances civic initiatives through partnerships and collaboration. A publicly supported foundation, the Philadelphia Foundation manages more than 1,000 charitable funds established by its donors and makes over 1,000 grants and scholarship awards each year. To learn more, visit philafound.org.

About United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, serving communities in Pennsylvania's Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, and New Jersey's Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May and Cumberland counties, is part of a national network of more than 1,300 locally governed organizations that work to create lasting positive changes in communities and in people's lives. United Way fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community. In Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, United Way fights for youth success and family stability because we LIVE UNITED against intergenerational poverty. For more information about United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey visit www.UnitedForImpact.org.

Contacts:
For Philadelphia Foundation: Melissa Fordyce, 856-430-4661, [email protected]
For United Way: Abby Douglas, 330-208-5554, [email protected]
To Make A Gift: www.PHLCOVID19Fund.org

SOURCE Philadelphia Foundation and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

Related Links

http://philafound.org