Greater Lowell Community Foundation awarded $829K for COVID-19 relief work

Over the next few months, the Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF) will distribute $829,983 to nonprofit organizations serving Lowell to alleviate hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic and address: emergency food, housing support, medical interpretation, educational program support, as well as youth program support.

This new round of COVID-19 funding is made possible by the Baker-Polito Administration’s $10 million Community Foundations Grant Program for COVID-19 Relief. The program, administered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and the Department of Housing and Community Development through community foundations across the state, was announced in late November.

“GLCF is honored to partner with the Commonwealth to continue to address critical COVID-related needs in Lowell,” said GLCF president & CEO Jay Linnehan. “GLCF is developing a grantmaking plan to ensure that aid gets out to those who need it quickly and effectively.”

“This pandemic has created challenges for families across Massachusetts, including food insecurity, housing instability, and a lack of childcare, and these grants build on the Commonwealth’s efforts to help residents access these essential services and items,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy in the state’s announcement. “We appreciate the partnership of the Legislature in moving this funding forward, and applaud the work of so many organizations across the state helping people to access critical aid.”

Merrimack Valley Food Bank, a recent recipient of a GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund grant to address food insecurity in Greater Lowell, has seen increased demand for emergency food during the pandemic.

The Community Foundation Grant awards continue the Baker-Polito Administration’s efforts to support the individuals and families who have been hit especially hard during the pandemic, and are part of Partnerships for Recovery, the comprehensive plan to stabilize and grow the Commonwealth’s economy. These one-time grants to 14 community organizations range from $200,000 to nearly $1.7 million. Each foundation will re-grant program funds to local or regional community-based organizations that have the capacity to efficiently provide immediate relief and support for individuals and families.

Since March, through grants from the GLCF COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund and the Massachusetts COVID Relief Fund, the foundation has supported more than 100 local nonprofit organizations with grants totaling over $2.9 million. 

###