LCF COVID-19 Response Fund makes first round of grants totalling $135,000 to support immediate needs
LCF COVID-19 Response Fund makes first round of grants totalling $135,000 to support immediate needs
London Community Foundation (LCF) in partnership with the Lawson Foundation and Westminster College Foundation announced $135,000 in grants from the LCF COVID-19 Response Fund to support immediate needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This first round of grants will support Atlohsa, Mission Services, Safe Space/ANOVA, Salvation Army, St. Joseph’s Hospice, St. Stephen’s House, and Unity Project to address urgent needs such as food security, health and hygiene needs, sanitation, personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as other necessities. The grant requests were vetted by LCF’s COVID-19 Advisory Council, which includes staff and volunteers from the three partnering foundations.
“The recent developments of COVID-19 have impacted us all but have disproportionately left our most vulnerable at risk,” says LCF President & CEO, Martha Powell. “These grants will help ensure our community’s basic needs are met and no one is left behind.”
The LCF COVID-19 Response Fund is a collaborative effort to support our community through the response, recovery and rebuild phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund will respond to the immediate needs facing our community today while building the long-term resources that will continue to support the emerging needs of citizens over the coming months, fostering resilience.
The three foundations plan to deploy the funds in three phases: the Response Phase (addressing the basic needs of low-income populations); the Recovery Phase (which may include psychological recovery, volunteer fatigue, and support for emerging leaders); and the Rebuild Phase (helping community organizations recover, with consideration for specific areas like housing, mental health, Indigenous communities, education, and arts and culture).
LCF is working closely with United Way Elgin Middlesex, the City of London and other local funders to ensure a coordinated response that will provide a full-spectrum safety net for our community’s most vulnerable.
Through the support of donors the fund has reached a total of $930,546.
“A community foundation’s role is to support its citizens during times of great need and that’s exactly what we’re doing here. With the support of our partners, we are keeping our community strong.” – Martha Powell, President & CEO, London Community Foundation
“The Lawson Foundation is very proud to support extraordinary community organizations that are doing so much to alleviate the hardships caused by the Covid-19 crisis.” - Marcel Lauzière, President & CEO, the Lawson Foundation
“Westminster College Foundation is excited to work with London Community Foundation and the Lawson Foundation in this unique and synergistic collaboration to provide assistance to those in need at this critical time in London and Middlesex." – Gloria Rolfe, Executive Director, Westminster College Foundation
To learn more about the London and Middlesex COVID-19 Community Response Fund, or to make a donation click here.
