The Foundation for Delaware County announced eight more grants May 4 from the Delaware County COVID-19 Response Fund.

The fund has now crossed the $600,000 mark, thanks to the generosity of many individuals, businesses and foundations.

The Response Fund was set up to support area nonprofits who are working at the forefront of the region’s COVID-19 assistance efforts.

“This week’s grants bring the total amount distributed to $289,755 for 42

front line organizations,” said Joanne Craig, vice president for Programs at the foundation.

“We are grateful to the countless nonprofit organizations that have stepped up to provide services for our at-risk neighbors who have been disproportionately affected by this crisis.”

Three organizations receiving grant money this week are providing emergency financial counseling for families, some of whom are experiencing tremendous hardship because of COVID-19.

The counseling services help with financial planning, coaching difficult conversations

with landlords and creditors, navigating available resources and preventing foreclosures or evictions. The services not only help families during the coronavirus crisis but provide them with financial skills for the rest of their lives.

The following organizations are the latest to receive grants from the County COVID-19 Response Fund:

• Centro de Apoyo Comunitario: $3,000 to buy and distribute food for the immigrant population in the Upper Darby/Lansdowne/Darby area.
• Chester Community Improvement Project: $10,000 for family emergency financial counseling.
• Clarifi: $10,000 for  family emergency financial counseling.
• Media Fellowship House: $10,000 for family emergency financial counseling.
• The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence: $10,000 for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to serve individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• Making a Change Group: $10,000 for food and supplies to insecure Chester families.
• Mental Health Partnerships: 10,000 for personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff at their Upper Darby emergency shelter, supporting those with mental illness, homeless or at risk for homelessness.
• Neighbor to Neighbor Comm. Dev. Corp.: $5,000 for supplies to deliver food to low-income Sharon Hill and Darby Township residents.

The foundation expresses its deepest gratitude to everyone for digging deeper, including the following donors who gave at the $5,000 level or more:

25^th Century Foundation, Bank of America, Barra Foundation, Boggs Family Fund, Dietrich W. Botstiber Foundation, Crozer Keystone Health System, Chris Cullen, Carol and Daniel DuPont, DO, Ed and Ellen Hanway, Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, Gallagher, JMC Fund – Northern Trust Charitable Giving Program at the Chicago Community Foundation, Mike and Sofia Magnavita, Park Power, PECO, PFM, Joan Richards, SAP Foundation, Scholler Foundation, Nathan Speare Foundation, Lynne Steuerle Fund, Kate and Brian Zidek.

Please contact Ellen Grill at 610-744-1015 or egrill@delcofoundation.org to inquire about how you too can support the Delaware County COVID-19 Response Fund.