MONTGOMERY, NY (August 20, 2020) – Five months since the establishment of the Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan (CFOS), funding remains available for nonprofits aiding those impacted by the pandemic.
Since its inception, the fund has distributed 117 grants totaling $484,576 to address immediate and longer-term needs of residents in Orange and Sullivan counties hardest hit by COVID-19. The Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund distributes grants of up to $5 thousand each to established nonprofit organizations that provide front-line services to the counties’ most vulnerable populations – food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, protective personal equipment for healthcare workers, online access to education for students, diapers and formula for babies, and telehealth for the elderly and those with special needs.
“While rates of infection have gone down locally, the devastating impacts of the novel coronavirus continue to mount,” said Elizabeth Rowley, CFOS President and CEO. “We are consistently hearing from area nonprofits on the frontlines that they are trying to meet greater needs with precariously stretched resources. We hope that those who can will continue to support this effort.”
Goshen Ecumenical Food Pantry is among the fund’s recent grant recipients. The grant has enabled it to significantly increase their purchase orders from the Regional Food Bank, allowing it to meet the accelerated client demand which has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Due to the amount of people in our community who continue to be negatively impacted by this virus, we are continuing to see our client numbers increase as more and more people continue to experience food insecurities,” said Brother Mark O’Hara, “Over the past two months, we have needed to increase our food purchases from a run rate of 2,500 pounds per month to 6,000 to 7,000 pounds per month. This grant is allowing us to provide the necessary food supplies to our most needy community residents during these challenging times.”
Since its inception, the fund has generated overwhelming support from local individuals, corporations and foundations and raised nearly $550,000. Grant requests are coming in daily, and CFOS continues to look to the public for donations to meet escalating needs in both counties.
Nonprofit organizations providing response services to Orange and Sullivan residents during this pandemic are encouraged to apply for grants and donations at any level are currently being accepted. For more information, visit www.cfosny.org/covid-19-response-fund/.
Photo: The Goshen Ecumenical Food Pantry distributes food at a bi-weekly outdoor food drive-thru with grant support from the Orange and Sullivan COVID-19 Response Fund.
About the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan (CFOS): Based in Montgomery, NY, the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan connects people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1999, the Foundation helps philanthropic individuals, businesses and organizations establish charitable funds that will award grants and scholarships, for good, forever. The Foundation has significantly increased the region’s charitable capital and has empowered donors to make a profound difference in the quality of life in our region. Since its inception, CFOS, with its donors and fund representatives, has awarded more than $15 million in grants and scholarships. The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan currently administers 322 active charitable funds that represent nearly $30 million in assets to support animal welfare, arts and culture, education, the environment, health and human services, recreation and youth. To learn more, visit cfosny.org.
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The Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan enables charitable individuals and organizations to become meaningful donors by providing trusted support and expertise for their contributions to make a difference in our community, now and forever.
