Omaha Community Foundation: COVID-19 Response Fund

About

Together with several local foundations, the Omaha Community Foundation has launched the COVID-19 Response Fund to provide flexible resources to organizations in the metro area working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of this outbreak.

While our healthcare systems, public health practitioners, and local universities are doing everything in their power to slow the spread of coronavirus, our local nonprofits are also preparing to assist those most vulnerable during this unprecedented time.

In March, a first round of grants supported nonprofits addressing the immediate economic and health impacts of the pandemic. In April, the Fund augmented those initial investments with an additional grants for mounting food insecurity and housing stability. In the next rounds, we focused on immigrant and refugee communities with emergency financial assistance. In future phases, the Fund will continue to adapt to urgent and emerging needs as they evolve.

The following areas of need are the focus of this fund. We are working with several local partners across sectors to understand how organizations are providing these important safety nets to those most vulnerable in the metro area.

•Food Support: With school closings, many school age community members are missing out on essential meals for the day. Additionally, low wage and/or hourly workers may further struggle to access to food.

•Healthcare: Healthcare organizations will be handling cases of the virus, while also caring for those in our most vulnerable populations.

•Emergency Housing: These service providers need to stay open and take extra measures to ensure their client’s safety during this unprecedented time.

•Emergency Financial Assistance: Families and individuals may struggle with rent, mortgage, or utilities due to job loss or loss of wages.

•Seniors: Seniors are among the most affected by the virus, but will also have less access to needed medication and food as a result of community-wide social distancing strategies.

About the Host

The Foundation is a connector that works with donors and nonprofits to grow a stronger region. An intimate knowledge of the local landscape allows us to connect the dots between the complex needs of the community and those working to make a difference here.