As of April 3, 106 people have donated to the Jefferson County COVID Emergency Response Fund for a total of $170,000.
The Emergency Fund Grantmaking Team met for a second time on April 3 and awarded $25,100 from the emergency fund to organizations on the front lines of helping those economically affected by the pandemic.
These awards don’t include the $32,750 in grants awarded last week. Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis and evaluated each Friday by the grantmaking team. The money is then distributed to the organizations the following Monday.
This week the team awarded $25,100 to five organizations:
- Quilcene and Brinnon Weekend Nutrition Program: $3,000 to address a three-fold increase in youth from Brinnon needing food assistance on weekends. The organization is now serving 62 families per week. Prior to the pandemic, the average was 23 per week.
- COAST Shelter: $700 for additional staffing of the homeless shelter for the next week as the local government decides on an alternative plan for the shelter with more space and safer conditions.
- Food Bank Farm and Gardens: $2,400 to keep three farmers employed in the upcoming months. This will ensure this valued source of produce for the local food banks is maintained as the growing season begins.
- Bayside Housing: $7,000 to maintain transitional housing for families as they process their loan application from the Small Business Administration.
- Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates: $12,000 to provide rental assistance to people on the far west side of Jefferson County, primarily workers in the salal-picking industry.
This brings the total amount awarded to date from the COVID Emergency Response Fund to $57,850.
To make a donation to the emergency fund, go to www.JCFgives.org. The Jefferson Community Foundation asks those who are receiving a Government Assistance Check who may not critically need it to consider donating the money to the fund.
