The Health Foundation of Central Mass

60 Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Synergy Initiative Round 5, "Encompass" Supplemental Funding: $50,000 "is week, we have continued to reach out and adapt to this evolving crisis. I am more convinced that these funds will go a long way to addressing a gap in our service capacity during this time. I am so grateful and appreciative." Seven Hills Foundation - ASPiRE!, 2019 Activation Fund, "Sustainable Farming" Supplemental Funding: $15,000 "Our sincere thanks again for your dedication and support to Seven Hills Foun- dation during these unique and challenging times. e need for PPE is essential for the safety and well-being of our staff and persons served, and your generous contribution makes a real and recognized impact." World Farmers, 2018 Activation Fund, "African Corn Milling" Supplemental Funding: $10,000 "We cannot adequately express how GRATEFUL we are for this additional support. We are very nearly speechless. We have been thinking through all poten- tial hardships and scenarios for our farmers this summer given the coronavirus, and we are in the midst of planning some potential solutions. Coronavirus will indeed hit our farmers hard, and we are thankful for this incredible gi to help us keep doing what we're doing. Please know that these funds will be used wisely to ensure that the farmers we work with are supported and have a healthy and economically viable season ahead through these uncertain times. I hope you feel our thanks, and that you pass on our gratitude to the Board." Responding to the COVID-19 Crisis In early April of 2020, just weeks after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts provided rapid- response funding to bolster nonprofit organizations working in Central Massachusetts. A total of $371,000 of emergency funding was awarded to 27 organizations. The following nonprofits were awarded funding: Abby's House, Ascentria Care Alliance, Community Legal Aid, Easterseals of Massachusetts, Fitchburg State University, Friendly House, GAAMHA, Inc., Health Care For All, Health Law Advocates, Jeremiah's Inn, LUK, Inc., Massachusetts Association for Community Action, Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center, Massachusetts Housing & Shelter Alliance, Massachusetts Public Health Association, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts, Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation, Quinsigamond Community College Foundation, RCAP Solutions, Riverside Community Care, Seven Hills Foundation, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, Worcester Regional Food Hub, World Farmers, and YWCA of Central Massachusetts. Because e Health Foundation recognized the enormous, unprecedented challenges organizations were facing during the rapidly changing crisis, it granted unsolicited awards before many peer foundations responded. Organizations did not have to apply for the funds or restrict their use for certain purposes. Most of them were Activation Fund and Synergy Initiative grantees at the time, and e Health Foundation wanted to bolster its ongoing support rather than dilute its limited resources across many organizations across Central Massachusetts. Other grantees were those with which e Health Foundation had longstanding partnerships. In the press release announcing the grants, Dr. Jan Yost, e Health Foundation's founding president and CEO explained, "e Board of the Foundation devised a three-pronged strategy for helping area nonprofits in response to coronavirus. e top priority to bolster current grantees' projects and to address special circumstances has been accomplished with this distribution of supplemental funding." Organizations responded very favorably to this rapid support. Awardees were able to use the funds to purchase personal protective equipment such as face masks, invest in the infrastructure necessary to enable employees to work remotely, support clients, and more. Selected feedback is shared below. n FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: April 7, 2020 Dr. Amie Shei The Health FoundaCon of Central MassachuseGs ashei@hfcm.org 508-438-0009 x2 The Health Founda.on of Central Massachuse5s Provides $371,000 in Response to COVID-19 Crisis Worcester, MA – In response to the coronavirus public health crisis, The Health FoundaCon of Central MassachuseGs has expedited $371,000 in supplemental funding to 27 non-profits serving Central MassachuseGs. The following non-profits were awarded funding: Abby's House, Ascentria Care Alliance, Community Legal Aid, Easter Seals of MassachuseGs, Fitchburg State University, Friendly House, GAAMHA, Inc., Health Care For All, Health Law Advocates, Jeremiah's Inn, LUK, Inc., MassachuseGs AssociaCon for Community AcCon, MassachuseGs Budget & Policy Center, MassachuseGs Housing & Shelter Alliance, MassachuseGs Public Health AssociaCon, MassachuseGs Society for the PrevenCon of Cruelty to Children, Neighbor to Neighbor MassachuseGs, Quaboag Valley Community Development CorporaCon, Quinsigamond Community College FoundaCon, RCAP SoluCons, Riverside Community Care, Seven Hills FoundaCon, South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, Worcester Regional Food Hub, World Farmers, and YWCA of Central MassachuseGs. "The Board of the FoundaCon devised a three-pronged strategy for helping area non-profits in response to coronavirus. The top priority to bolster current grantees' projects and to address special circumstances has been accomplished with this distribuCon of supplemental funding," stated Jan Yost, President of the FoundaCon. The FoundaCon's AcCvaCon Fund remains open, with LeGers of Intent due April 30, 2020. Further allocaCons to address gaps and the long-term impact of coronavirus will be informed by government and private funding and determined in the months ahead, she explained. The FoundaCon was established in 1999 with the proceeds from the sale of Central MassachuseGs Health Care, Inc., a physician-iniCated, not-for-profit HMO. The FoundaCon currently has assets of approximately $67 million and has awarded grants totaling over $44 million.

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