Delco Coronavirus Relief Fund Hits $1M Fundraising Milestone

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — The Foundation for Delaware County has reached a milestone in its fundraising efforts for the Delaware County COVID-19 Response Fund

The foundation announced it reached its $1 million fundraising goal.

To date, the Response Fund has awarded more than $832,000 through 88 grants to area nonprofits since it was established almost one year ago.

The foundation will now focus its grantmaking from the fund on supporting nonprofits engaged in vaccine hesitancy education while continuing to meet other pandemic-related needs of Delaware County residents.

"We wish to thank every individual, family, business, and foundation that stepped forward to support the Delaware County nonprofit community through the foundation’s Response Fund," said Joanne Craig, foundation Chief Impact Officer. "We could not have provided this support without you. This funding has been a lifeline for nonprofits. The foundation will continue to distribute grants and we encourage all nonprofits to consider applying by visiting delcofoundation.org."

The Response Fund has shifted some of its funding to award grants to nonprofits providing education to the community about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine, and to coordinate access for communities of color.

Most recently, the foundation awarded $53,000 from the Response Fund to the Delaware County Immigrant Coalition to provide vaccine outreach and education for the immigrant community. Delaware County Public Health Fund

In other news, the foundation recently announced the establishment of a new fund to support the county's plans to establish a public health department.

At its board meeting last week, the foundation's Board of Directors voted unanimously to seed the new fund with a grant of $50,000 and is encouraging other foundations, individuals and businesses to come forward and support this critical community effort.

Delaware County is one of the largest counties in the country, and the only county in Philadelphia’s 5-county region without its own public health department.

As a result, Delaware County has missed out on public health funding from the state for decades, received limited services from the state’s Department of Health, and, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit,

Delaware County had to turn to neighboring Chester County to provide coordination and services, slowing down the response to the virus.

"The foundation is proud to have the trust of Delaware County Council and the county’s staff leadership with this critical public/private partnership," said Frances Sheehan, foundation President. "Funds raised will be used to support efforts to educate the county’s residents about what a public health department means for our community, initiate pilot programs designed to create the highest quality public health department, and cover other costs not supported by tax dollars."