The Omaha Community Foundation (OCF) announced today that it has given $230,000 from its recently created COVID-19 Response Fund to aid eight nonprofits in the community who are assisting in responding to urgent community needs as a result of the ongoing pandemic. 

To-date, the Response Fund has raised $535,000 from 340 donors. The Foundation launched its next phase of grant making on Friday, April 3. More details can be found on OmahaFoundation.org/COVID19.

During the initial rapid response phase, funding priorities included food support, healthcare, emergency housing, emergency financial assistance, and seniors. Nonprofits receiving funds from the initial funding round were:

  • Food Bank for the Heartland: Support for mobile pantries and food replenishment efforts.
  • Heart Ministry Center: Support to address increased demand from their food pantry services.
  • Together, Inc: Support to address increased demand from their food pantry services.
  • Visiting Nurse Association (VNA): Support for personal protective equipment and telehealth services.
  • Intercultural Senior Center: Support to increase their food pantry capacity and purchase culturally and dietary specific foods for seniors not available at the Food Bank.
  • Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership (ENCAP): Support providing direct financial assistance to clients and infrastructure to support the continuity of emergency services.
  • Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless (MAACH): Support for homeless mitigation plan implementation.
  • New Visions Homeless Services: Support for meal site operations including increased cleaning and sanitizing, and technology support at their Omaha and Council Bluffs

“We are grateful for the hundreds of community members, organizations, and corporations who have already stepped up to help those in need and supported this Fund. Our community is facing unprecedented needs, that will only continue to grow as we see the local effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Fund is designed to swiftly deploy funds to the nonprofits who are on the ground helping our most vulnerable residents, “ Donna Kush, President and CEO of the Omaha Community Foundation said.  

Those who wish to contribute to the COVID-19 Response Fund can donate here. Any amount can be given and all donations are tax deductible. 

Last month, the Omaha Community Foundation 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. 

More details on the Fund and funding priorities can be found at omahafoundation.org/COVID19. 

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 The Omaha Community Foundation is proud to help good grow in Omaha by helping more than 2,000 fundholders facilitate their philanthropic giving. Since the Foundation’s inception in 1982, donors have granted $1.8 billion to nonprofits, supporting more than 3,000 local organizations. For more information visit omahafoundation.org.