Community Foundation awards local relief grants totaling over $100,000

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every individual, family, and community in a variety of ways. Our northern Michigan community is no different. Beginning in late March, the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation began our efforts to respond to the crisis during significant and rapidly changing community needs.

We have earmarked our existing Essential Needs Fund to receive donations for local relief. To date, we have raised over $140,000 in new gifts to the fund with support from individuals, donor advisors, and foundation partners including Frey Foundation, Oleson Foundation, Consumers Energy Foundation and DTE Energy Foundation.

We have been granting these dollars back into the community specifically for COVID-19 relief. Impacted organizations are invited to apply for support through a simple online application process. To date, $116,500 has been granted to 25 local organizations providing critical operational support as well as meeting emergent needs ranging from personal protective equipment (PPE) and telehealth services to food, utility and rent assistance. Click here to see a current list of grants awarded.

“This crisis is affecting everyone,” said David (DJ) Jones, executive director of the Community Foundation. “Right now we are working to meet immediate needs of our partner organizations and the people they serve. For the medium- and long-term, however, we are also working to stabilize our local nonprofit sector. Not only do our local nonprofits provide important services and opportunities, but they also employ our friends and neighbors and are an essential part of our business community.”

For those wishing to support local relief efforts with a donation, gifts can be made online to our Essential Needs Fund for local COVID-19 relief. 

Thank you for all who have already supported our local relief efforts. Even in this time of social distancing, we know that together we can do more.