Thanks to gifts generously donated to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund established by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and United Way Fox Cities, 14 nonprofits were recently awarded $130,000 in grants to assist their efforts as they respond to the unfolding public health emergency. That brings the total awarded to 36 nonprofit organizations so far from the fund to $405,000.

Grants from the fund support nonprofit organizations engaging in immediate basic needs relief, short-term response and longer-term recovery of many types of nonprofits in Outagamie, Calumet, Shawano, Waupaca and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago counties. Grants will continue to be awarded on an ongoing basis and listed on our COVID -19 Grants page.

The current phase one of granting is focusing on the Fox Valley region’s most vulnerable populations and the nonprofit organizations providing urgent basic needs support such as safe shelter, food, childcare, health and financial assistance. Here are the latest grants awarded in each of those categories:

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

LEAVEN — This Menasha-based provider of social services for economically disadvantaged and vulnerable people will use a $50,000 grant to provide basic needs financial assistance, preventing struggling households from slipping into greater poverty, homelessness and ill health.

St. Vincent de Paul Neenah/Menasha — A $20,000 grant will be used to help vulnerable people in the Neenah and Menasha areas who need urgent assistance with food, transportation, housing and other basic needs.

FOOD

St. Joseph Food Program — A $15,000 grant will help the Menasha-based organization enhance its services and purchase coolers for storing milk and other perishable items as part of its new drive-up method of distributing food weekly to people in the greater Fox Valley area, primarily from Neenah to Kaukauna.

Vivent Health — In support of the organization’s efforts to meet increased demand for essential services during Covid-19 social distancing, a $10,000 grant will help to provide food to families living with HIV in the Fox Cities area through home delivery services.

Waupaca County Senior Meals Program — A 5,000 grant will help to provide nutritious meals to home-bound people age 60 and older in Waupaca County.

Youth Go — This youth drop-in center in Neenah, which serves Outagamie, Calumet and Winnebago counties, will use a $5,000 grant to continue to provide and enhance virtual programming by adding activity kits so its youth participants can connect, chat and create while at home, and support their parents and guardians by providing food and personal essentials.

Fox Valley Community Table — A $2,000 grant will help to provide food for free box lunches that are distributed every Tuesday and Saturday in the parking lot of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Neenah.

Clintonville Area Food Pantry — A $1,500 grant will enable the pantry to provide more immediately needed food staples, such as eggs, milk, meat, fruits and vegetables.

Helping Hands Food Pantry — A $1,500 grant will help the Shawano County pantry in Cecil provide food to people in need.

HEALTH

Friendship Place — A $10,000 grant will enable the organization adapt its in-person and online services to continue  helping adults with mental illness who need support, especially during the Covid-19 crisis, which is causing an increase in severe mental health symptoms of its members.

Family Services — This provider of outpatient mental health services to children, youth and adults in the Fox Valley area will use a $1,000 grant to enhance its telehealth services.

SAFE SHELTER

CASA of the Fox Cities — A $1,000 grant supports the organization’s move to a virtual environment to conduct its work, which involves training and utilizing community volunteer advocates to help abused and neglected children in local courts achieve placement in safe and permanent homes.

CHILD CARE

Grow With Us Child Care Center — A $5,000 grant supports availability and accessibility of child care services for essential workers in the Black Creek area and other nearby rural areas of northern Outagamie County.

Day Care Center of New London — A $3,000 grant will help the center provide day care services for children of essential workers in New London and other nearby rural areas of Outagamie and Waupaca counties.

Donors to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund:

Since the Community Foundation and United Way established the fund March 17 with $50,000 each, many individuals, funders and businesses have stepped up very generously to contribute more than $704,000. Updated donor recognition is listed on our COVID-19 Donor Page.

The needs of local nonprofit organizations are and will continue to be significant during the public health crisis and beyond. Ongoing donations to the fund, as well as direct donations to nonprofit organizations from individuals with a passion for specific organizations and causes, are critical now and during the weeks and months to come.

How to donate to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund:

The Community Foundation is waiving all credit card and administrative fees for this fund. Every dollar donated into the fund will be put into action in the community.  To donate online, please visit our COVID-How to Help page.

Checks can be made payable to the Community Foundation/COVID-19 and mailed to Community Foundation, 4455 W. Lawrence St., Appleton, WI 54914.

About the COVID-19 Community Response Fund Granting Approach:

The fund supports local nonprofit and other community organizations engaging in response and recovery efforts in Outagamie, Calumet, Shawano, Waupaca and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago counties impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Currently the fund is in “Phase One” of granting, addressing immediate basic needs for people who are disproportionately affected by the crisis. This phase includes proactively identifying potential grant recipients and using input, guidance and research from organizations and others in the community to make grant decisions.

In order to move resources quickly and not further burden nonprofit organizations, during Phase One there will not be a formal application process. Nonprofits providing immediate basic needs relief can email United Way to share their needs so they can be considered during the granting process.

As the crisis and long-term impacts continue to unfold, the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and United Way Fox Cities will continue to assess and consider evolving the granting approach into subsequent phases for many types of nonprofit organizations. The grants committee meets on a weekly basis to understand needs and make decisions.

We invite you to donate now to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund. You can also learn about who has given to the fund, the fund’s grant recipients, and check out our latest news and updates.