The Women’s Fund of Essex County Awards Emergency Food Insecurity Grants

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Organization announces a donation of $25,000 of targets funds in response to growing food insecurity crisis due to COVID-19 in Essex County

Due to the rising concern of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, The Women’s Fund of Essex County (TWF), a philanthropic organization, announces that it recently provided $25,000 for Emergency Food Insecurity Grants to five community nonprofits serving vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, low-income and homeless.

“COVID-19 is estimated to have dramatically increased the number of people facing acute food insecurity,” said Elaine Quinn, President of the Advisory Board of The Women’s Fund. “The emergency food insecurity grants will provide critical help to these organizations to cover shortfalls in food donations, operations for emergency food distributions, and to support unanticipated needs during these uncertain times. Meeting the crucial needs of Essex County is of paramount importance to The Women’s Fund.”

The five community nonprofits receiving grants are:

New Lynn Coalition’s Grocery Delivery Program (Lynn, MA) – This is a coalition of grassroots organizations that are deeply connected with Lynn residents, especially the undocumented, who do not qualify for state or federal aid programs. Delivery is focused on people in quarantine, elders, single parents, and people without reliable transportation that have few options for feeding themselves and their families. The grant will be used to purchase and distribute groceries to those in need.

The Salem Pantry (Salem, MA) – The Salem Pantry’s mission is to eradicate hunger in the Salem Community by providing residents in need with nutritious food in an atmosphere of dignity and respect. Future plans include expanding their current space and establishing two more mobile markets in Salem’s areas of highest needs.  The grant will be used to acquire more food, put more vehicles on the road, and expand and sustain daily operations to fight hunger.

Open Hearts Ministries (Haverhill, MA) – Since its beginning in 1999, Open Heart Ministries continues to grow and expand services to support the vulnerable individuals and families of the city of Haverhill. This includes cooking and serving community meals at the First Baptist Church of Haverhill. The grant will be used to obtain additional food, as well as help cover the costs of distributing food.

Neighbors in Need: Food Pantries (Lawrence, Methuen, Andover, MA) – Through its nine food pantries open to the public strategically located in neighborhoods throughout Lawrence, Methuen, and Andover, two additional elder pantries for the residents of low-income elder housing clusters in the North Common Area, identified by the federal government as being especially in need of services, two mobile pantries in partnership with Windsor House (a rooming house) and the Department of Mental Health and with the YWCA Fina House, they provide food for over 850 families every week, and over 500,000 meals last year.  The grant will provide funds to allow flexibility for specific needs that arise due to COVID-19.

Cor UnumMealCenter(Lawrence, MA) –The center serves hundreds of people every day, with a small core staff and a large army of generous volunteers. Since opening their doors in 2006, in the first 10 years they served over two million meals. At the current rate of meal service, approximately 250,000 meals are served annually. The grant will be use to provide curbside grab and go meals, and purchasing food and other essential items.

“We are pleased to support these five worthy organizations who are responding quickly and creatively to meet the increased demand for their services during the pandemic,” said Grants Allocation Committee ChairLisa Parker.

About The Women's Fund

Since 2003, The Women's Fund of Essex County has raised and awarded over $2.5 million to high impact non-profit partners providing local women, girls, and their families with the resources they need to find success at work, school, home and in life. The organization has been recognized with the George Peabody Award for Leadership in Philanthropy by the Essex County Community Foundation and the Champions Award for Community Impact by North Shore Community College. The Women's Fund of Essex County is an all-volunteer organization supported entirely by generous donors whose philanthropy supports a portfolio of programs impacting local women and girls.  

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