The York County Community Foundation (YCCF) has established the York County COVID-19 Response Fund in partnership with the United Way of York County and other philanthropic partners. The fund will provide financial support to nonprofit organizations that are working to meet the increasing needs of the community during this crisis.
The fund is seeded by a $100,000 lead gift from YCCF's Fund for York County, the foundation's most flexible grant making fund designed to address the county's greatest needs. Additional contributors are the W. Dale Brougher Foundation, Arthur J. and Lee R. Glatfelter Foundation, Kinsley Foundation, Powder Mill Foundation, and J. William Warehime Foundation. Recognizing that community needs are growing and changing, this fund will welcome additional contributions. One hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly toward grants to nonprofit organizations.
Grant recipients will be identified by surveying and engaging in dialogue with nonprofit and government agencies responding to the impacts of the pandemic. A community advisory committee is being formed to provide input on priority needs and will include representatives from local agencies and health and human service sector experts as well as representatives from the community. The York County COVID-19 Response Fund will initially focus on supporting nonprofit agencies with the greatest capacity to provide food and shelter to the most vulnerable residents. No grant applications are being accepted.
There are many ways to support the community in this time of need. In addition to considering a gift to the York County COVID-19 Response Fund, residents are encouraged to continue to support the charities they care about that may be struggling with diminished revenue.
Although many nonprofit organizations have paused their volunteer opportunities due to recommendations on social distancing, readers can still help support urgent community needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals who are healthy and able can visit United Way's COVID-19 Resource page at http://www.unitedway-york.org/covid-19, which is updated regularly with volunteer opportunities as they are received. To have a volunteer opportunity added, readers may contact Bryce Kruger, volunteer engagement coordinator, at krugerb@unitedway-york.org.
The health and human services helpline PA 211 is available to individuals who may need additional resources for child care, food, housing, and other needs. Anyone can dial 211 or text their zip code to 898-211 to talk with a resource specialist for free.
For more information about the fund, please visit https://yccf.org/covid-19responsefund/. To contribute to the York County COVID-19 Response Fund, readers may visit http://www.yccf.org or http://www.unitedway-york.org.
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