In March the Community Foundation for Nantucket established the Nantucket Fund for Emergency Relief – a COVID-19 relief fund. Almost immediately, ReMain Nantucket pledged to match up to $250,000 in donations to help kickstart the fund.
In three short weeks we met the incredibly generous ReMain Nantucket match of $250,000. We have now seen the magnitude of assistance required to address the ever-growing community need, and we have set a near term goal of $2.5 million. To help us reach this goal, an anonymous and loyal Nantucket Fund donor recently pledged to match new donations up to an additional $250,000.
“As the COVID-19 Crisis continues to impact Nantucket, it has become clear just how important the Nantucket Fund for Emergency Relief is. Our grant making has been a vital resource to our human service organizations and year-round community. This new matching gift challenge will allow us to continue to make a difference and help our nonprofit community.” Geoff Verney, CFN Board President.
As of today, we have awarded over $468,000 in Emergency Grants to nonprofits who are providing vital human services or organizations which needed assistance so they can remain operational during and after this pandemic. We strongly believe that in the coming weeks we will receive grant requests that will exceed the $1.3 million we currently have committed.
The following organizations received grants:
- A Baby Center at Nantucket Family Resource Center
- A Safe Place
- Fairwinds, Nantucket’s Counseling Center
- Health Imperatives
- Nantucket Boys & Girls Club, Technology Assistant Grant
- Nantucket Cottage Hospital
- Nantucket Community School
- Nantucket Food, Fuel, and Rental Assistance
- National Alliance on Mental Illness on Nantucket
- Rising Tide Preschool
- Small Friends
In addition, we have launched the Nantucket Fund for Emergency Relief Food Initiative. This initiative partners key human service nonprofits with local restaurants to provide weekly or biweekly meals to each nonprofit’s constituents. This initiative benefits both those in need and our local business workforce. On average this initiative funds 700 meals a week and demand is growing.
The following partnerships have been established:
- A Safe Place and the BEET
- Artists Association of Nantucket and Faregrounds Restaurant
- Fairwinds, Nantucket’s – Counseling Center and Faregrounds Restaurant
- Health Imperatives on Nantucket and The Culinary Center
- Housing Nantucket and Charlie Noble
- Nantucket Boys & Girls Club and The Breeze at Nantucket Hotel
- Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Annye’s Wholefoods
- Saltmarsh Senior Center / First Congregational Church and or, The Whale / Sandbar
In the upcoming weeks, the Nantucket Fund for Emergency Relief will continue to address immediate and long-term needs stemming from the COVID-19 crisis. The Foundation will award grants from this fund on a rolling basis. Donations to this fund can be made via CFN’s Website: https://cfnan.org/give/give-now/nantucket-fund-emergency-relief-fund/