PRESS RELEASE
(Coatesville, Pennsylvania) - As it became apparent that the COVID-19 virus would threaten the health and economic well-being of the nation’s most vulnerable, Brandywine Health Foundation took quick action and announced the creation of the Healthcare and Economic Relief Fund. The goal of the fund is to rapidly identify and address the urgent needs of the Coatesville community and our nonprofit partners. To double the impact of each donation to the new fund, the Foundation committed to match, dollar for dollar each contribution, withholding nothing additional for administrative costs.
Donations In Solidarity with Greater Coatesville
Thanks to the generous donations of over 100 local and regional contributing partners, more than $100,000 dollars began quickly flowing into the Greater Coatesville community. Initial donations were boosted further by the decision of many Garden Party sponsors to transfer their sponsorship dollars to the new fund.
Thus far, community need has far exceeded our projections and we are compelled to surpass our original Fund Goal of $350,000. The Foundation is committed to doubling its fundraising efforts so that our partner organizations can continue to address the growing hardship that so many of our neighbors, friends, students, relatives, and colleagues now face.
Community Impact
To date nineteen organizations have received funds with the average grant size of $6,700 to address varied community needs identified as life sustaining and essential during the initial stages of this pandemic. Below are a few of our grant partners. For a complete list visit www.brandywinefoundation.org.
Bridge Academy and Community Center | Love Your Neighbor, Love Your Neighborhood: Assisting single parent households or guardians facing financial hardship through rental and utility assistance in the City of Coatesville.
Coatesville Senior Center | COVID-19 Response: Addressing life sustaining food access by supporting freshly prepared grab-n-go-lunches to approximately 100 residents daily.
Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) | Healthcare to Most Vulnerable During COVID-19 Pandemic: Filling in the gap with additional staff due to the decrease of 500 clinical support volunteers to continue to provide free healthcare to patients and to purchase prescription medications no longer available through free Patient Assistance Programs.
Community, Youth & Women’s Alliance, Inc. | Residential Products for Health & Human Safety: Supporting the necessary daily needs of homeless women and children such as food, personal hygiene and cleaning supplies.
Good Works, Inc. | Neighbors Helping Neighbors: Enabling low-income Coatesville families in need of urgent home repairs during this time to live in safe and healthy homes while improving the quality of life for those at risk of falling further behind socially and economically.
Keystone Valley and Modena Fire Departments | Impact of COVID-19: Supporting the purchase of PPE equipment and infection control kits for first responders of Emergency Medical Services serving the Greater Coatesville community.
As the foundation looks to its role and mission in a post pandemic world, the incoming board chair Rick Clark assures our community that “the Brandywine Health Foundation will continue to be flexible in its daily work to improve the lives of the region’s most vulnerable.”
For more information about the Healthcare & Economic Relief Fund please visit www.brandywinefoundation.org. To easily contribute to support the immediate life sustaining needs of the community DONATE NOW.
Brandywine Health Foundation is a responsive philanthropic organization that focuses on changing the persistent inequities in health care, housing, education, and economic opportunities in the Greater Coatesville, Pennsylvania area.