In April, a group of donors saw the urgency of the COVID-19 pandemic and immediately made gifts to ABCD in support of relief efforts. Throughout May seven more institutional funders and numerous individuals have given $435,000 collectively.
Through contributions of all sizes, ABCD’s individual donors have raised more than $5,000 to support COVID-19 relief, emergency food needs, and housing supports. The ABCD COVID-19 Relief Fund will be accepting donations as long as the need in our communities continues. Secure online donations can be made here.
The Boston Resiliency Fund has provided $50,000 to support emergency food needs, with a focus on baby formula. Since baby formula is an expensive item that many people have been panic buying, it has been especially difficult to access for ABCD’s low-income clients. This grant will provide 300 households with a one-month supply.
ABCD’s Allston-Brighton Neighborhood Opportunity Center continues to see an increase in demand, providing food to four times as many clients as usual. These increased efforts have been supported this month by a $5,000 grant from the Harvard University Allston-Brighton Emergency Response Grant.
Life Science Cares, a collective effort of the life sciences industry to reduce the impact of poverty on our neighbors, provided ABCD’s high school students with Chromebooks and Wi-Fi hotspots in April so they could continue their education while school buildings were closed. In May, they awarded ABCD with a grant to support rental assistance for households that have seen their income significantly reduced as a result of the pandemic, especially for those not eligible for unemployment assistance.
With an intentional focus on the gateway cities of Malden and Everett, the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund has made a grant of $40,000. These funds will support emergency food and fuel needs for residents in those cities. The Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund supports those across the state most impacted by the COVID-19 health crisis, focusing on essential frontline workers and vulnerable populations including the homeless, immigrant populations, people with disabilities and those facing food insecurity.
At the Northeastern University Social Impact Lab, over what would have been Senior Week, 60 students and alumni worked in teams to learn about Boston nonprofits serving families that are at increased risk of financial, housing, and food insecurity because of COVID. They identified and assessed several outstanding organizations as part of their decision-making process. The tools used in the Social Impact Lab emphasize systems thinking and social justice to elevate organizations that are especially good at complex problem solving and empowering communities through deep relationships. The students awarded ABCD with $10,000 in funding.
The United Way of Mass Bay COVID-19 Family Fund has granted ABCD $20,000 in flexible emergency assistance for families impacted by income disruption. This will help families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis across ABCD’s service area meet their basic food, childcare or housing needs.
In partnership with the city of Medford and with funding through the Community Preservation Act, ABCD is offering temporary financial assistance to eligible Medford residents struggling to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic. The $250,000 grant will help Medford residents with immediate rental assistance needs.
ABCD is extremely grateful to all of these partners for their support as the pandemic continues to impact our communities.
For more information about the ABCD COVID-19 Relief Fund, or other giving opportunities for your company or yourself, please contact Alexia Layne-Lomon, Director of Development & Grants at 617-634-2940 or alexia.laynelomon@bostonabcd.org.
