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The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation & Regional Affiliates (PACF) has awarded $25,256 in its second round of its COVID-19 pandemic response grants bringing the total awarded to date to $75,376. With these most recent grants, the Foundation is providing funding for the purchase of much-needed supplies and support for twelve area organizations.
“We are very thankful to the PACF’s donors and supporters across our region who have already contributed and to those who continue to step forward to support our COVID-19 response funds,” said Judy Sjostedt Ritchie, PACF’s Executive Director. “We’re working swiftly, using our Hunger Fund and Safety Net Funds, to address our community’s needs and communicating closely with the nonprofits that are providing essential services during this crisis.”
Agencies that received funding during the PACF’s second round of grants include:
The PACF also has issued special challenges to several organizations participating in its Give Local MOV campaign. A $1,000 1:1 matching “Hunger Challenge” has been offered to the Salvation Army, Old Man Rivers, and Wood County Senior Citizens Association, and a “Health Challenge” has been offered to Minnie Hamilton Health Services and Westbrook. These organizations are challenged to raise an additional $1,000 through Give Local; those who meet the challenge will receive the $1,000 match.
“As the pandemic continues and unemployment increases, we continue to hear about increased demand for services from area agencies that are working to address basic needs,” said Marian Clowes, PACF’s Associate Director for Community Leadership. “Support for our Hunger and Safety Net Funds has enabled the PACF to respond quickly to provide assistance to these agencies, who are on the front line every day helping members of our communities.”
The PACF is actively contacting regional nonprofits to assess COVID-19 impact on their clients and communities and identifying ways to respond to the needs. Agencies seeking assistance should contact the PACF at 304-428-4438 or by email to marian.clowes@pacfwv.com.
Donations to support the PACF’s Hunger Fund and Safety Net Fund are tax-deductible. To learn more about these funds and the work that the Foundation is doing to address COVID-19 in our region, visit www.pacfwv.com/COVID19.
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Contact us if we can help at info@pacfwv.com
The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation & Regional Affiliates (PACF) is actively partnering with its local donors and other area funders to address the critical needs of local citizens who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing funding to a wide variety of area nonprofit organizations that are delivering essential services for their clients and families.
To date, the PACF has awarded more than $50,000 in COVID-19 emergency funds to help local nonprofits continue their critical services and programs. Food, rent and utilities assistance, and purchase of hygiene and school supplies are just a few of the things that these grants have supported and will continue to support as the PACF provides additional grants in the coming weeks.
“Many of the requests we are receiving are to support food access for area residents,” said Marian Clowes, PACF’s Associate Director for Community Leadership. “Through the quick action of the Foundation and with the help of our donors, we’ve responded swiftly to support agencies working on the front lines through this pandemic.”
One local nonprofit organization that received support recently wrote to the PACF regarding its grant support saying, “Thank you for coordinating support for our families. As the person working directly with the recipients, I want to say that it was a real lifeline for some families who were caught in the unemployment limbo.”
Grants thus far include:
“Children’s Home Society (CHS) is extremely grateful for the emergency funds received from the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation and the SHF during the COVID-19 health crisis,” said Shelley Plauché-Adkins, Children’s Home Society of WV’s Regional Director. “Many of the formerly homeless youth served through our Transitional Living Program have lost employment and are struggling with food insecurity. These funds will enable Children’s Home Society to provide food boxes to 22 youth and their children over the next 12 weeks, which will ensure that our youth are being fed and greatly reduce their stress and worries during this difficult time.”
Funding to support these programs is made possible by generous donations from individuals and businesses to the PACF’s Hunger Fund (addresses food insecurity for local people) and Safety Net Fund (supports basic and emergency needs). These two response funds concentrate on relief efforts in the Foundation’s 11-county service area.
“We are very thankful for our community’s continued support of the Hunger and Safety Net funds,” said Clowes. “These significant grants are only possible because of our great community support. We anticipate making more distributions soon and we encourage the community to continue supporting these important charitable funds. We are very grateful for our donors’ help, enabling us to meet needs in our community.”
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