PCF has awarded the second phase of grants from its COVID-19 Response Fund to 26 local nonprofits. Totaling $372,000, the grants will support local community-based organizations serving families and individuals experiencing extreme hardship from the economic, social, and physical impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
PCF’s first round of COVID-19 emergency response funding was distributed on March 31, 2020. It benefited nine local organizations serving seniors and distributing food and supplies to low-income individuals and families. In addition, the Foundation also released restrictions on existing grants to allow the recipient organizations to use current grant funds for their most urgent needs. With Phase One funding totaling $272,330, Pasadena Community Foundation has now granted more than $500,000 to local nonprofit organizations providing relief services to the Pasadena community.
“Easing the burdens of the COVID-19 crisis in our community is PCF’s highest priority and will be the focus of our grantmaking for the rest of 2020,” said Jennifer DeVoll, PCF President and Chief Executive Officer. “Based on research, collaboration, and thoughtful discussion, the Foundation’s leadership concluded that Phase Two funding will expand support for basic needs, including food, shelter, and social services for our most vulnerable neighbors.”
Community-based organizations serving families and individuals suffering disproportionately from the effects of the COVID-19 crisis were invited to submit proposals for Phase Two funding. PCF identified local organizations with a history of successful engagement with these vulnerable groups, including food distribution and meal delivery organizations, and social service providers focused on seniors, people experiencing homelessness, at-risk student populations, low-income families with school-age children, and more.
“We continue to track Pasadena’s evolving needs and collaborate with local nonprofit and city leaders,” said Kate Clavijo, Ed.D. and PCF senior program officer. “PCF’s relationships with community stakeholders allow us to review the full picture of COVID-19 response, identify gaps, and distribute our funds where they can have the greatest impact.”
The following Pasadena-based nonprofit organizations received grants for COVID-19 response and/or to modify services to accommodate “Safer at Home” city policies.
Addressing the immediate needs of homebound seniors:
• $10,000 to Meals on Wheels to maintain and expand meal delivery for homebound seniors.
• $5,000 to Pasadena Senior Center to expand outreach and food distribution to older adults.
• $25,000 to YWCA San Gabriel Valley to increase services for meal delivery to low-income homebound seniors in the Pasadena/Altadena area.
Addressing the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness:
• $12,000 to Elizabeth House to support pregnant and parenting homeless and formerly homeless women with food, supplies, and emergency needs.
• $15,000 to Salvation Army to support food distribution program and to add senior meal delivery.
• $25,000 to Union Station to support safe temporary housing and meal delivery to those experiencing homelessness.
Supporting health agencies:
• $15,000 to Foothill Family Service for technology support to transition to telehealth and online service delivery.
• $15,000 to support the Huntington Memorial Hospital COVID-19 Fund.
• $15,000 to Planned Parenthood Pasadena San Gabriel Valley to support technology needs for transition to telehealth and online service delivery.
Supporting disabled adults in residential homes:
• $5,000 to AbilityFirst to purchase groceries, supplies, and programming for adults with developmental disabilities in two residential programs.
• $15,000 to Villa Esperanza to purchase groceries, supplies, and programming for adults with developmental disabilities in seven residential programs.
Addressing the immediate needs of low-income families, students and youth:
• $5,000 to Families Forward Learning Center to provide groceries, baby supplies, and gift cards to families.
• $20,000 to Flintridge Center to support the Youth of Promise program for youth coming out of incarceration with emergency assistance grants.
• $15,000 to Foothill Unity to support their Food Program that provides weekly food boxes to low-income families and seniors.
• $20,000 to Friends in Deed to support its food pantry.
• $15,000 to Learning Works for purchase of educational supplies, access to technology, and emergency assistance to low-income students and their families.
• $10,000 to Pasadena/Altadena Coalition of Transformative Leaders (PACTL) to support low-income families with emergency supplies and educational resources.
• $15,000 to Pasadena Community Job Center for emergency mini-grants and food pantry support for day laborers and domestic workers.
• $15,000 for Pasadena City College Foundation to expand emergency assistance through the Unexpected Hardship Fund, which provides electronic gift cards, emergency funds to low-income students.
• $10,000 to the Pasadena Educational Foundation to purchase protective equipment to monitor the health of essential workers, including those preparing and distributing meals for Pasadena Unified School District.
• $15,000 to Stars to provide under-served youth and their families culturally responsive meals and support for online learning.
Addressing the immediate needs of foster youth:
• $15,000 to Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services to provide temporary housing and food for at-risk young adults.
• $15,000 to Hillsides to purchase food, groceries, basic supplies foster and transitional aged youth.
• $15,000 to Five Acres to support increased educational and food expenses for students in Short-Term Residential Therapeutic and Transitional Shelter Care programs.
Supporting low-income sober living clients in residential homes
• $10,000 to Casa to expand telehealth programming and meals for residential clients.
• $20,000 to Grandview Foundation to provide shelter, treatment, and healthy meals to individuals struggling with alcohol and drug addiction.
The PCF COVID-19 Response Fund was established to activate local philanthropy and provide direct relief to Pasadena-area residents. The fund was seeded with an initial commitment of $100,000 from PCF, and has grown with gifts from community members, private foundations, and local businesses. The third phase of PCF’s COVID-19 response fund grantmaking – planned for later this year – will reallocate existing grant funds and leverage any uncommitted and new funds to continue to support relief and recovery efforts in the Pasadena community.
Photos feature COVID-19 response at Friends in Deed, Union Station, Stars, Pasadena Senior Center, Huntington Hospital, Families Forward Learning Center, Elizabeth House, and Grandview.