PASADENA, CA – March 16, 2020 – Pasadena Community Foundation announced today that it has launched an emergency COVID-19 Response Fund and made an initial commitment of $100,000 to provide local relief. The fund will provide flexible resources to Pasadena-based organizations as they respond to the impact of the virus and quarantines, and allow donors to make charitable gifts that will benefit both urgent and long-term community needs.
“We are in the midst of a national emergency with significant and immediate consequences for the Pasadena community,” said Jennifer DeVoll, CEO and president of Pasadena Community Foundation. “With the COVID-19 Response Fund, we appeal to the generous donors of Pasadena to continue to give locally in order to sustain the social services, food assistance, and other efforts that will protect our vulnerable neighbors.”
PCF is in ongoing communication with city, community, and school district leaders to determine how the Foundation’s assistance will have the greatest impact. However, urgent action is needed to protect Pasadena’s most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, who face greater health risks from the virus, and low-income families with young children, who may experience immediate economic hardship due to school closings and job loss.
The Foundation has established the PCF COVID-19 Response Fund for maximum flexibility and responsiveness as the pandemic unfolds. Community foundations across the country have launched similar efforts to activate philanthropy in their local communities and provide much-needed financial support as conditions change in the coming weeks and months.
About the Pasadena Community Foundation
Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is a tax-exempt public charity created by and for the people of Pasadena. Managing more than $100 million in charitable assets, PCF works with individuals, families, and organizations to establish philanthropic funds, create and build endowment funds, and distribute charitable gifts to nonprofit organizations.