The Foundation for Delaware County Focuses on Vaccine Education as Grant Distributions Continue

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A group of people from the Delaware County Immigrant Coalition.
Image via The Foundation for Delaware County.
Pictured are members of the Delaware County Immigrant Coalition who received a $52,000 grant to help provide vaccine outreach and education for the immigrant community.

The Foundation for Delaware County is focusing its Delaware County COVID-19 Response Funds to support nonprofits as they encourage people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Fund reached a $1 million fundraising goal last week, with $832,000 distributed to area nonprofits to help those struggling because of the pandemic.

The Foundation for Delaware County will continue to support nonprofits with pandemic-related needs as it also supports nonprofits addressing vaccine hesitancy education.

It is also continuing efforts supporting a new health department for Delaware County.

“This funding has been a lifeline for nonprofits. The foundation will continue to distribute grants and we encourage all nonprofits to consider applying by visiting delcofoundation.org,” said Joanne Craig, foundation Chief Impact Officer.

Grants Available for Vaccine Education and Access

Some grant money will now help nonprofits educate the community about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as coordinating vaccine access for communities of color.

Most recently, the foundation awarded $53K from the Response Fund to the Delaware County Immigrant Coalition to provide vaccine outreach and education for the immigrant community.

Delaware County Public Health Fund

The foundation has also established a new fund to support county plans to create a public health department.

At the foundation board meeting last week, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to seed the new fund with a $50,000 grant and is encouraging other foundations, individuals, and businesses to come forward and support this critical community effort.

Delaware County is one of the largest counties in the country yet it is the only county in Philadelphia’s five-county region without its own health department.

That has meant Delaware County missing decades of state public health funding, receiving only limited services from the state’s Department of Health.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Delaware County had to turn to neighboring Chester County to provide coordination and services, slowing down the response to the virus.

““Funds raised will be used to support efforts to educate the county’s residents about what a public health department means for our community, initiate pilot programs designed to create the highest quality public health department, and cover other costs not supported by tax dollars. Donations are welcome and can be made online to the Delaware County Public Health Fund at delcofoundation.org.” said Frances Sheehan, foundation President.

Learn more about the county’s effort to launch its own public health department: https://www.delcopa.gov/health/index.html.

The complete list of grantees from the Delaware County COVID-19 Response Fund is available at https://delcofoundation.org/response-fund-grant-awards/.

For more information and updates, you can visit the foundation at www.delcofoundation.org or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram @delcofdn.

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