A Salvation Army volunteer unpacks donation boxes in Jamestown.
JAMESTOWN – For the second week in a row, the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund has awarded grants to organizations on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak in Chautauqua County.
On Monday, the Fund’s Decision Committee awarded $76,400 to the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County, Salvation Army of Jamestown and Dunkirk and Chautauqua Opportunities.
Dollars will be immediately released to these organizations to provide flexible funding to help individuals overcome barriers to accessing essential resources, support for supplemental food and personal hygiene items to serve an increase demand of clients, and assistance to support center-based and school-age child care providers throughout the county that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
According to The Salvation Army, as unemployment throughout the county increases, they are seeing an increase in clients utilizing their services which includes their food pantry for food and personal hygiene items, including diapers and formula.
The Salvation Army of Jamestown and Dunkirk have been working with both United Ways in Chautauqua County to secure volunteers to help unload donations, pack bags and deliver items. Individuals from Southern Tier Environments for Living, Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County and The Resource Center have been helping in these efforts as well.
“The needs of the community have changed and we have adapted very well to providing delivery of food to individuals and families in our community,” said Major Chris Ramirez, Dunkirk Salvation Army.
Additional funding requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the current crisis and recovery phases. At this time, priority is given to requests for needs not served by other federal, state and local resources as it relates to food security, services for older adults, child care services, mental health and wellbeing, and basic human needs.
Since March 23, the Crisis Response Fund has raised nearly $870,000 of its $1 million goal from individuals, community organizations and local foundations. It has also awarded $203,484 to 11 organizations.
The fund is administered by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County on behalf of a coalition of philanthropy, government and business partners including the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and United Way of Northern Chautauqua County.
More information, including how community members can make online tax-deductible donations, can be found on the United Way’s website, uwayscc.org. Individuals can also give by mailing a check made payable to the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County to 208 Pine Street, Jamestown. Please include Crisis Response Fund on the memo line.
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