The Spencer County Community Foundation has awarded $54,700 in Rapid Response Grants to 28 charitable organizations affected by COVID-19. The Rapid Response Grant program was launched on March 27.
According to Emily Davis, Regional Director of Community Engagement and Impact, the program has been successful by helping organizations meet unforeseen challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic. “In answer to what our charitable partners have been experiencing since the crisis started, the grants have provided fast funding in response to their call for help,” says Davis.
The Foundation intended for the program to be both efficient and timely and according to Davis, the response and payment times have been exceptional. “We’ve been able to quickly deploy funding to these organizations – applications were reviewed within 24 hours, and grant dollars were paid within three business days. We knew our response had to be quick, in order for them to support members of the Spencer County community,” says Davis. “The grants have provided funding to cover unforeseen expenses that have been required of our Spencer County organizations like scaling up services or covering expenses due to closings and canceled fundraisers. Our program helped them meet these early COVID-19 challenges.”
The Foundation awarded grants to the following:
• American Red Cross of Southern Indiana for the support of blood collection services in southwest Indiana;
• Bread of Life Ministry for a food program for families in need;
• Chemo Buddies to supplement lack of income;
• Chrisney Volunteer Fire Department for support of lost income due to cancellation of fundraising event;
• Christian Resource Center for the purchase of food for the food pantry;
• Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center to provide additional telemedicine services;
• Encountering Hope Ministries, Inc. to purchase food and household supplies for the Manna Market;
• Hemenway Memorial Presbyterian Church to purchase food and cleaning supplies for families in need;
• Heritage Hills PATS- Parents and Teachers to support and sustain the “Bags of Blessings” weekend food program;
• Historic Santa Claus Campground Corporation to support loss of income due to cancellation of fundraising event and canceled camp reservations;
• Luce Elementary School for the purchase of food for students and families within the School Corporation and community;
• North Spencer Community Action Center to fill the gap in lost revenue from the thrift store sales to allow employees to receive pay to continue running vital programs;
• North Spencer County School Corporation for the purchase of disinfectant supplies to stop the spread of germs when providing lunches and when employees/ outside public are entering and leaving buildings, and for the materials to make masks for community members in need;
• Perry County Memorial Hospital for the purchase of an additional stretcher;
• Rockport Elementary School PTO for support of lost income due to cancellation of fundraising event;
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ohio Valley for the purchase of food pantry items and cleaning supplies;
• Santa Claus Museum & Village to support loss of income due to required closure;
• Southern Indiana Resource Solutions, Inc. to assist those in need;
• Spencer County CASA to support loss of income due to cancellation of fundraising event;
• Spencer County Council on Aging for the purchase of disinfectant supplies for drivers and homemakers and support of lost income due to cancellation of fundraising events;
• The Spencer County Fair, Inc. for support of lost income due to cancellation of fundraising event;
• St. Boniface Catholic Church to provide care packages of food to sick, infirm and home bound parish members, provide senior citizen access to medical care, and provide supplemental nourishment for local children;
• St. Meinrad Catholic Church to provide care packages of food to sick, infirm and home bound parish members, provide senior citizen access to medical care, and provide supplemental nourishment for local children;
• Success Through Mentoring to supplement the organization’s financial obligations;
• SWIRCA & More to fund food materials, supplies, and delivery costs to help feed local seniors;
• Tri-County YMCA to assist with virtual delivery of exercises and to purchase cleaning supplies;
• Tri-State Food Bank to provide food for those in need;
• and The Way of Rockport, Indiana, Inc. for support of lost income due to cancellation of fundraising event.
“This program was made available through generous donations made by our giving donors,” says Tawnya Fleischmann, President of the Spencer County Community Foundation Advisory Board. “On behalf of our board and staff, we thank them for their legacy of giving back to our Spencer County community.”
For more information, or to make a gift to the Spencer County Community Foundation, contact Mary James, Regional Director of Development at 812.649.5724 or visit CommunityFoundationAlliance.org/Spencer.
