ARTICLE
The Community Foundation of Boone County exists to unite people, organizations and philanthropy to create a thriving community for all. This is our job; to connect donors and resources to needs. It quite simply is why we exist. It is moments such as the COVID-19 Pandemic; for which we were created. On March 12, 2020; a fter our attendance at the Council on Foundations across the United States Webinar on COVID-19; and the closings of all 3 Boone County School Corporations; we took immediate action to REVISE our official COVID-19 Action Plan. The Community Foundation of Boone County took immediate action last Thursday, March 12 to organize and streamline efforts to get funding to our 5 Boone County Direct Response Providers IMMEDIATELY. It is a 2-faceted approach at this time: 1. Supporting the 5 local, Boone County Non-Profit Direct Service Providers that are the most impacted; at this time; by sharing their web addresses on our website and social media. We granted $25,000 in EMERGENCY FUNDING to them March 12; as a proactive approach to this pandemic. The 5 nonprofits are listed below; please click on their websites to donate to them directly: Shalom House (providing meals and sack lunches to children) theshalomhouse.org The Caring Center (food pantry) thecaringcenter.net LOVE, Inc. (hub for all church outreach in Boone County) www.loveinc.org Boone County Senior Services (providing in home care and transportation for all of Boone County) booneseniors.org Boys & Girls Club of Boone County (providing 100 hot meals/day at their Lebanon facility) bgcboone.org 2. Establishing a COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund that will provide assistance to Boone County communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund will provide grants on a rolling basis and adapt to changing circumstances from acute immediate needs to longer term recovery. Click here to donate to the fund: https://boonecounty.fcsuite.com/erp/donate We have already raised over $3,000 in this fund and will begin to grant the funds out of it this week; especially as needs begin to shift. There is no “playbook” for COVID-19. The Community Foundation of Boone County remains committed to being flexible, creative and watchful of the 67,000 residents we serve. As Community Leaders; we thank you for linking arms with us to get the word out to your constituents on the best way they can help the residents of Boone County. It is our mission to help those that no one else is helping and serve those that no one else is serving. By sharing this information on your website, social and print media; we can begin to get the funding straight to the front lines of Boone County; helping local people with local needs.