Foundation Awards COVID-19 Grants to SouthCoast Nonprofits

The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts today announced $665,000 in grants to nonprofits providing emergency COVID-19 support for immigrants, childcare facilities, and local college students in need.

The foundation has allocated over $1.9 million recently through its SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund. The Fund supports nonprofits serving those impacted by the pandemic.

The YMCA SouthCoast received funding to provide childcare for frontline workers. It expanded emergency capacity in New Bedford, Swansea, and Wareham, serving around 1,000 children. The organization also distributed over 80,000 meals to those in need.

“We remain vigilant and committed to doing all we can to meet the needs of our community during this unprecedented time," said Y president and CEO Jim Scherer.

The Bristol Community College Foundation and UMass Dartmouth received funding to provide direct support for students struggling to pay rent and buy food during the pandemic. BCC President Laura Douglas said many students and families have lost jobs and taken on new technology costs during the transition to remote learning.

The Community Foundation has a partnership with the Massachusetts COVID-19 Relief Fund. That umbrella fund supports those across the state most impacted by the crisis, focusing on essential frontline workers and vulnerable populations including the homeless, immigrants, people with disabilities, and those facing food insecurity.

In the SouthCoast area, grants ranging from $5,000 to $110,000 were distributed to the following organizations:

Attleboro YMCA · Boys & Girls Club of Plymouth · Bristol Community College Foundation · Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc. · Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores · Children's Advocacy Center of Bristol County, a program of JRI · Citizens for Citizens, Inc. · Coastline Elderly Services, Inc. · Family Service Association of Greater Fall River Inc. · House of Possibilities, Inc. (HOPe) · Immigrants' Assistance Center · Katie Brown Educational Program · Kennedy-Donovan Center, Inc. · M.O. L.I.F.E., Inc. · New Bedford Star Kids Scholarship Program · NorthStar Learning Centers, Inc. · Samaritans of FR/NB, Inc. · Schwartz Center for Children · Seven Hills Behavioral Health, Inc.· Southeastern Massachusetts Ser-Jobs for Progress Inc. · The Arc of Bristol County · The Bridge: A Center for Hope and Healing · The Literacy Center, Inc. · The Women's Center · United Way of Greater New Bedford · YMCA Southcoast · Joe Andruzzi Foundation, Inc. · UMASS Dartmouth Foundation

The next round of grant applications will open on June 12th. Donations to the SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund may be made online at https://cfsema.securepayments.cardpointe.com/pay.

For general questions and inquiries about the Fund, please direct your inquiry to emergencyfund@cfsema.org. For any questions regarding making a donation, please contact the Community Foundation’s Development Manager, Tricia Grime at pgrime@cfsema.org.

The Community Foundation is a public charity dedicated to improving the quality of life in Southeastern Massachusetts.  To date, the Community Foundation has distributed over $25 million from over 175 funds to humanitarian, educational and cultural organizations in the region. More information about the Foundation can be found at www.cfsema.org.