The COVID-19 Local Response Fund, launched by a $100,000 donation from a Staunton couple of March 15, has begun making grants and pledges to meet community needs.
Emergency medical care: $7,500 to Augusta Expo for operating expenses upon the announcement that they will be the emergency site for Augusta Health for the next 90 days.
Access to affordable mental health care: $16,500 in grants to Valley Hope Counseling Center, ARROW Project, and Valley Pastoral Counseling Center to provide affordable mental health tele-counseling services through HIPAA-compliant software platforms.
Access to food: A pledge of approximately $15,000 for the partnership between Augusta Health, Allegheny Mountain Institute, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, and Valley Program for Aging Services to provide the most food-insecure senior citizens in our community with fresh produce, meat, and eggs from local providers, and shelf-stable food supplies from the Food Bank.
Managing rent and mortgage payments: $30,000 in grants, including $11,000 from CAPSAW, to bolster the rent and mortgage assistance programs of the Staunton and Waynesboro Salvation Army Corps.
Access to childcare for essential workers: A pledge of up to $20,000 to the Waynesboro YMCA to bring online an eight-week childcare program for up to 72 children of essential workers in our community.
In total, with help from additional community members, the foundation has collected nearly $50,000 in additional funds to disperse quickly to partner agencies.
To donate to the COVID-19 Local Response Fund, click here.
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Chris Graham
