The Bucks County COVID-19 Recovery Fund, established in March by United Way of Bucks County with additional funding from Penn Community Bank, continues to provide grants for COVID-19-related needs.
Since its inception, the fund has provided 76 grants, totaling roughly $395,000, to dozens of local nonprofits serving people impacted by COVID-19. All grants focus on life-sustaining and essential human services.
United Way has awarded 11 new grants totaling almost $44,000, through its most recent cycle on Dec. 7. This is the most grants the nonprofit has awarded during a single period.
Recent grant recipients include: Lifespan Childcare Center, TLC Child Care Center, NAMI Bucks County, Lenape Valley Foundation, Catholic Social Services, Livengrin Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County, YMCA of Bucks County, Family Service Association of Bucks County, One House at a Time, and Ivins Outreach Center.
Funds awarded this cycle will support the purchase of sanitizing equipment, cleaning supplies, PPE, additional support staffing, data for telehealth appointments for clients, bed frames, mattresses and bedding for children in Bucks County who are bedless, and meals and groceries for people who are unable to shop safely on their own.
“We were able to award so many grants this cycle largely because our board of directors recently approved nine new nonprofits to join our roster of member agencies. More than half of the agencies awarded a grant this cycle are new member agencies,” said United Way president and CEO Marissa Christie. “We are very pleased to be able to support so many local nonprofits through this difficult time.”
Since late August, the Bucks County COVID-19 Recovery Fund has issued an additional 13 grants totaling over $72,000 to Bucks County organizations assisting residents impacted by COVID-19. Among those agencies to receive a grant are Bucks County Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Bucks County Children and Youth, Quilts for Kids, The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Vita Educational Services, and Rolling Harvest Food Rescue. Children’s Developmental Program, Credit Counseling Center, and YMCA of Bucks County were all awarded multiple grants in this timeframe.
United Way of Bucks County member agencies will continue to submit grant applications on a rolling basis. Applications are reviewed by a panel of business and nonprofit leaders. Payments are released immediately to ensure that people who experience a financial crisis due to COVID-19 get help quickly.
To learn more about the programs and services provided by these agencies, visit uwbucks.org/covidgrantswork.
In addition to more than 800 individual, local donors, Penn Community Bank, Dow, BB&T (now Truist), Janssen, PECO, Foundations Community Partnership, Bucks County Foundation, Simon and Jane Hallett, Barra Foundation, Grundy Foundation, Fegley Law Firm, ShopRite of Hunterdon County, Vistra Energy, Wells Fargo, Bucks County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., 100+ Women Who Care Bucks County, Residents of Ann’s Choice, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., The Albert W Bader Foundation, Inc., the Newtown Business Association, Johnson & Johnson, Inc., and M&T Charitable Foundation support the fund.
Donations can be made at uwbucks.org/COVIDrecovery or by mailing a check to United Way of Bucks County, 413 Hood Blvd., Fairless Hills, PA 19030, with “COVID recovery” in the memo line.
