Over $450,000 granted out by way of 43 grants to local nonprofits in just four weeks. When the Community Foundation created the Coronavirus Relief Fund on March 13, 2020, the goal was to be first and fast in responding to the needs of our nonprofits on the frontlines of the pandemic who are providing food, shelter, financial assistance and healthcare. And that’s exactly what happened. As quickly as the money has been raised, it has been granted back out into the community.
Now, as the quarantine has been extended and needs continue to grow, the Community Foundation’s board of directors is asking for the entire community to step up to help ensure our nonprofits have the support they need in the weeks and months to come. How? By challenging the community to match the funds they’ve already donated.
“Our board has already personally donated over $100k that’s gone directly to our nonprofits,” said Randy Redner, CEO and president of the Community Foundation. “Now they’re challenging the community – you – to help raise another $100k to continue providing our community with food, healthcare, housing and financial assistance.”
“Just ask the nonprofits we’ve helped so far,” said Dick LoPresti, board chair of the Community Foundation. “They are the ones that are on the front lines and they see the faces of our neighbors in need every day – they know how crucial it is to have community support. Our board is personally committed to doing everything we can to help, but we know that with the support from the larger community, we can help so many more people survive this current crisis.”
The Community Foundation is making weekly grants to area nonprofits, which are allowing them to directly impact lives.
“As a frontlines provider for the community, we are seeing many new faces coming for assistance as people experience lost wages and business closures,” said Laura Drake, executive director of the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry. “The grant we’ve received from the Coronavirus Relief Fund has helped us to provide food, utility, prescription, and emergency housing assistance to our community.”
“We’re grateful for the Community Foundation and its very generous donors for moving into such quick action during the COVID-19 crisis. Their ability to disperse funds so quickly has allowed us to continue caring for our families without skipping a beat or having to worry about resources,” said Scarlett Rigsby, executive director of Nothing But The Truth. “We can continue to focus on the main thing and that is offering hope to our community and providing some of their most basic needs. The Community Foundation has come through BIG and without hesitation.”
The Community Foundation’s challenge to the community to raise $100k in 7 days offers a way for people everywhere to help in a tangible way during this time. Every dollar helps and every dollar goes straight back into our community, to our organizations on the front lines of this fight now and in the days to come. To date, people have already given over $700,000 to the fund and this additional $100,000 will help the Community Foundation reach their goal of $1 million by April 30th.
“As we as a country are beginning to understand, this crisis – in so many ways – is just starting, Redner said. “What is a healthcare crisis today will turn into a financial crisis for so many families and so on – the road to recovery will be long. You can help our community during these times, and show that Gwinnett Cares, by donating to the Coronavirus Relief Fund. This $100k will help us reach our goal of raising $1 million by April 30th and quickly send those funds back into the community to help those who need it most right now.”
Anyone can give now at cfneg.org/covid19
About the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia
The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia began operating as the Gwinnett Foundation, Inc, a nonprofit community foundation, on March 25, 1985. It was founded by a group of community-minded citizens to receive and disburse charitable funds for an improved quality of life throughout Gwinnett County. Today, the Community Foundation manages funds held in trust, donated by individuals, organizations and businesses, and has granted more than $80 million to various nonprofits. For more information, visit www.cfneg.org.
