PHL COVID-19 Fund Continues Urgent Response to Community Amid Growing Needs

En Español

PHILADELPHIA – The PHL COVID-19 Fund today announced its second round of grants totaling more than $2.5 million to 79 non-profit organizations serving on the frontlines of the coronavirus crisis. The Fund, launched four weeks ago and led by the Philadelphia Foundation and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, has secured $13.7 million in gifts and pledges, and granted over $4.8 million to 123 non-profit organizations providing vital services to individuals facing the wide-ranging and urgent consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.

Non-profit organizations like ACLAMO, headquartered in Montgomery County, and SEAMAAC in South Philadelphia, both receiving $50,000 grants this week, are facing tremendous challenges. They include access to food, information and language translation services as they seek to serve socially and economically marginalized communities.

“Our communities are experiencing this crisis on different levels,” said Nelly Jimenez, ACLAMO Executive Director and CEO. “Everyone says we are all in this together, but the inequalities that minority communities are experiencing and the lack of access to resources for them has highlighted the catastrophic impact this crisis will have on families we serve.”

ACLAMO, which primarily supports the growing Latino population in Montgomery County, will use a portion of the funding received to advance technology platforms to coordinate language access services and interpretation in Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Hindi at the COVID-19 testing site in Montgomery County.

“COVID-19 has touched each of us in some way, but the reality is certain communities are more at-risk or face barriers that make this crisis even more challenging to navigate,” said Bill Golderer, President & CEO, UWGPSNJ. “This second round of grants will help equip the nonprofits serving the people at-risk to make sure critical safety net and other services remain available for the people who need them the most.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded the issues faced by immigrant and refugee populations served by SEAMAAC, particularly the older adult population, which is most at risk to the virus. Their ability to access quality food and life-sustaining information has been severely impacted.

“The PHL COVID-19 Fund will allow us to immediately address issues of hunger and food insecurities for the marginalized communities we serve,” said Thoai Nguyen, SEAMAAC, Inc. CEO. “While these issues have always been present, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues and exposed the inequities and privilege gaps within our society.”

Of equal importance to SEAMAAC is protecting its thinning staff and volunteer bases, who are delivering these critical services to the community. Part of the funding it will receive will be used to purchase masks and gloves for individuals delivering life-sustaining meals and information to residents.

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is taking its toll,” said Pedro Ramos, President & CEO of the Philadelphia Foundation. “It is touching every community, every family and every person in deeply personal and life-altering ways. It is critically important that nonprofits receive funding to address community needs now.”

The complete list of grantees for the second 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 intends to make its third round of grants in 7 to 10 days to support residents in three primary capacities: food and basic needs, protection of vulnerable groups, and medical care and information. The fund prioritizes supporting people who were affected first and hardest 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 Fund currently totals more than $13.7 million in pledges and contributions, including more than 3,000 online donors and dozens of other 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: APRIL 16, 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.

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