The Central New York COVID-19 Community Support Fund is administered by the Central New York Community Foundation and supports immediate, basic needs of nonprofit organizations working with vulnerable populations. Fund partners include the United Way of Central New York, the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, the Allyn Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, and Health Foundation for Western & Central New York.
The pandemic is both “a public health crisis and a threat to the economic stability of so many of our friends and neighbors in our region,” Community Foundation president and CEO Peter Dunn said at a March 18 press conference announcing the fund. “Some of our neighbors face disproportionate challenges due to unexpected time off from work, unplanned child or health care expenses, transportation and housing issues or a lack of reliable access to information.”
By April 20, the fund had raised more than $1.4 million and distributed nearly $600,000 to 43 grantees.
Make donations online at cnycf.org/covid19 or by contacting Thomas Griffith, vice president, development at (315) 422-9538 or tgriffith@cnycf.org. For information about applications, visit cnycf.org/covid19grant.
The Community Foundation has also created funds to support organizations in Oswego and Madison counties.
These Onondaga County organizations have been awarded grants:
• Assumption Food Pantry & Soup Kitchen (Syracuse): $5,000 to distribute emergency food parcels and to-go meals to families in need
• Catholic Charities of Onondaga County: $25,000, to help people in need purchase food, cleaning supplies. and hygiene items and assist with unexpected household expenses
•Road to Emmaus Ministry of Syracuse: $7,500 to meet increased demand for meal service and food pantry distribution
• St. Lucy’s Food Pantry (Syracuse): $3,000 to distribute emergency food packages to families in need
