GUELPH – The Guelph Community Response Fund has allocated $65,000 to local charities in need of extra support.
The fund is administered by the Guelph Community Foundation and United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin.
“The Community Response Fund is providing urgent, immediate support to the agencies and people who need it most,” said Chris Willard, Executive Director of the Guelph Community Foundation in a press release. “While first responders are heroically helping those in the greatest medical need, there are many grassroots organizations helping people affected by social isolation, job loss, mental health and food insecurity.”
The North End Harvest Market, a program of the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition that provides free weekly fresh fruit and vegetable to community members in need, received a grant of $6,000 from the Fund.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were forced to close the market, as it operates out of portable six at Waverley Public School,” said Brendan Johnson, Executive Director of the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition.
“When it became clear that the community required the market to re-open to serve those in need, market manager Barb McPhee quickly worked with Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health and the Upper Grand District School Board to create a new plan. The grant from the Community Response Fund made it possible to have food supplies there when we needed them, and to serve the increase in demand.”
To date, the following organizations have received grants from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund:
• Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph Wellington – $5,000 for communications and new volunteer training to assist with the increased demand of the Distress Line ;
• Shelldale Family Gateway – $6,000 for virtual community outreach and grocery cards;
• March of Dimes GWD – $5,000 for the Assistive Devices Program, to support more adults and seniors with disabilities living at home;
• Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington – $5,000 to support the Fresh Food for Kids program;
• Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition – $6,000 for Neighbourhood Group Essential Goods Project;
• North End Harvest Market – $6,000 for COVID-19 market support;
• Hope House – $5,000 to support a virtual mental health counselling program for those experiencing increased anxiety and grief-related issues;
• Child Witness – $2,000 to support children (and their caregivers) who are victims or witnesses of crime during social isolation;
• HIV/AIDS Resources & Community Health (ARCH) – $5,000 for Emergency Food Hamper Program;
• Portage Program for Drug Dependencies – $5,850 for Bunker House Admissions Project.
The Fund will continue to provide grants to organizations as dollars become available. Agencies experiencing need related to COVID are encouraged to apply at unitedwayguelph.com/Covid19
“We cannot express enough thanks and gratitude to the amazing corporations and individuals that have contributed to the fund,” said Rick McCombie, Interim Executive Director at United Way. “Being able to rapidly respond to the increased need and get money out the door and into the community where it can do the most good, is all thanks to their generosity.”
Individuals and corporations are encouraged to continue to donate to the Guelph COVID-19 Community Response Fund online at guelphcf.ca or unitedwayguelph.com or alternately by mail to either organization.
