More than $4.3 million was distributed to local organizations and groups helping Greater New Haven residents recover from the devastating impacts of COVID-19 through the Greater New Haven COVID-19 Community Fund.

A grant from the COVID-19 Fund helped the Connecticut Food Bank support more than 100,000 residents at risk of hunger. Photo contributed by CT Food Bank.

Resources for Immediate Needs and Critical Services

Thanks to the generosity of donors, the Greater New Haven COVID-19 Community Fund distributed $4,388,400 in COVID-related grants in 2020 and 2021 to 164 nonprofit and community organizations before it was retired. Resources were directed to the most vulnerable members of our community, providing support primarily in the following areas:

  • Food insecurity and Basic Needs
  • Health and Community Safety (Personal Protective Equipment and Vaccine Access)
  • Housing and Shelter
  • Healthcare Access
  • Education and Youth Programming

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Areas of Need Supported by the COVID-19 Community Fund

Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) set up grab and go food distribution in New Haven. Photo contributed by DESK.

Basic Human Needs

More than $1.5 million (about 35%) of the COVID-19 Community Fund supported grants to organizations and community groups addressing basic needs including :

  • Food Insecurity - Grants addressed increased demand across the region, including more affluent towns that saw food insecurity rise among older adults. Grants also assisted those not eligible to receive federal aid (immigrants and undocumented).
  • Daily Necessities - Cash assistance and gift cards for daily necessities not covered by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) such as feminine hygiene products, home cleaning supplies, detergent, over-the-counter medicine,
  • Housing - Rental assistance, foreclosure prevention, utilities and energy assistance, homeless shelter services, attorneys for eviction prevention.
Shubert Theater volunteered its space as a temporary "pop-up" vaccine clinic. Photo contributed by the Shubert Theater.

Health and Community Safety

Grants to many local organizations working across different sectors supported the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies. Several organizations that had closed because of quarantine restrictions pivoted to support vaccination efforts in the community.

Credit: Reach out and Read

Healthcare Access

More than $1.2 million (28%) of the COVID-19 Community Fund supported grants to healthcare-related organizations. Providers reported dramatic increases in behavioral health issues and anxiety in youth and families and burnout experienced by medical and healthcare professionals.

Credit: Central Connecticut Coast YMCA

Education and Youth Programming

The pandemic caused massive disruptions for young people as schools and programs moved online for much of 2020. More than $900,000 (21%) of the COVID-19 Community Fund supported the work of organizations to continue engaging the youth during a time of increased academic, economic, and emotional challenges.

Want to support ongoing, immediate needs in Greater New Haven?

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