A Salvation Army volunteer unpacks donation boxes in Jamestown.

JAMESTOWN – For the second week in a row, the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund has awarded grants to organizations on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak in Chautauqua County.

On Monday, the Fund’s Decision Committee awarded $76,400 to the United Way of Northern Chautauqua County, Salvation Army of Jamestown and Dunkirk and Chautauqua Opportunities.

Dollars will be immediately released to these organizations to provide flexible funding to help individuals overcome barriers to accessing essential resources, support for supplemental food and personal hygiene items to serve an increase demand of clients, and assistance to support center-based and school-age child care providers throughout the county that have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

According to The Salvation Army, as unemployment throughout the county increases, they are seeing an increase in clients utilizing their services which includes their food pantry for food and personal hygiene items, including diapers and formula.

The Salvation Army of Jamestown and Dunkirk have been working with both United Ways in Chautauqua County to secure volunteers to help unload donations, pack bags and deliver items. Individuals from Southern Tier Environments for Living, Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County and The Resource Center have been helping in these efforts as well.

“The needs of the community have changed and we have adapted very well to providing delivery of food to individuals and families in our community,” said Major Chris Ramirez, Dunkirk Salvation Army.

Additional funding requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the current crisis and recovery phases. At this time, priority is given to requests for needs not served by other federal, state and local resources as it relates to food security, services for older adults, child care services, mental health and wellbeing, and basic human needs.

Since March 23, the Crisis Response Fund has raised nearly $870,000 of its $1 million goal from individuals, community organizations and local foundations. It has also awarded $203,484 to 11 organizations.

The fund is administered by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County on behalf of a coalition of philanthropy, government and business partners including the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and United Way of Northern Chautauqua County.

More information, including how community members can make online tax-deductible donations, can be found on the United Way’s website, uwayscc.org. Individuals can also give by mailing a check made payable to the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County to 208 Pine Street, Jamestown. Please include Crisis Response Fund on the memo line.

Michelle Knapp, St. Susan Center employee, and Frank Smith, long-time St. Susan Center volunteer, pack meals to serve local residents in need during the coronavirus outbreak. A recent grant from the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund will assist St. Susan Center in packing to-go meals.

JAMESTOWN – Nearly two weeks after the public launch of the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund: COVID-19, the first round of emergency funding, totaling $127,084 has been awarded to eight local organizations.

Organizations receiving funding include:

• Catholic Charities,
• Chautauqua County Rural Ministry,
• Community Helping Hands,
• Feed More WNY,
• Jamestown Community Learning Council,
• Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County,
• The Resource Center,
• and Westfield Community Kitchen.

These dollars are being immediately released to address food security needs, as well as, to help older adults and vulnerable families overcome barriers to accessing essential resources.

“It is inspiring to see how our community has come together during this difficult time to support each other,” said Bonny Scott-Sleight, St. Susan Center executive director. “We are grateful to receive this much needed assistance to continue serving our guests.”

According to Vince Horrigan, Decision Committee chair, every funding request has been very carefully reviewed by the committee, utilizing their expertise in various professional capacities.

“We are looking at all of these funding requests very closely,” Horrigan said. “It is important that what we fund is the very best use of the dollars we have been so generously given by our community to make an immediate impact for those in need from all across Chautauqua County.”

Additional funding requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the current crisis and recovery phases. At this time, priority is given to requests for needs not served by other federal, state and local resources as it relates to food security, services for older adults, child care services, mental health and wellbeing, and basic human needs.

Since March 23, the Crisis Response Fund has raised more than $860,000 of its $1 million goal from individuals, community organizations and local foundations.

The fund is administered by the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County on behalf of a coalition of philanthropy, government and business partners including the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation and United Way of Northern Chautauqua County.

More information, including how community members can make online tax-deductible donations, can be found on the United Way’s website, UWaySCC.org.

Individuals can also give by mailing a check made payable to the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County to 2018 Pine Street, Jamestown. Please include Crisis Response Fund on the memo line.

On Monday a coalition of Chautauqua County foundations and funders announced the creation of the Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund: Covid 19, which has been established through the generous contributions from philanthropic and business partners.

During a conference call on Monday afternoon, organizers said the fund will be managed in partnership with the local United Ways (Northern and Southern Chautauqua County), local Community Foundations (Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation).

Officials say the Crisis Response Fund serves as a coordinated response to pool resources to meet the immediate needs the community and to support long-term needs that are not yet known.

The funds initial investors are Carnahan-Jackson Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Cummins Foundation, Holmberg Foundation, Lenna Foundation, Nestle Purina Pet Care, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr Foundation, United Way of Northern Chautauqua County, and United Way of Southern Chautauqua County.

In under a week pledges totaling more than $750,000 have already been secured. The public is now invited to contribute by visiting the webpages of the local United Ways or community foundations and going to the sections dedicated to the COVID-19 response.

“This truly is a county-wide effort as we come together to assist organizations working to serve the rapidly changing needs of our community,” said Amy Rohler, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County executive director. “This fund is a coordinated response to meet both the emergency, immediate need of today, and the intermediate to long-term needs that are not yet known.”

Grants will only be made to 501c3 organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501c3 or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution (schools, faith-based organizations and other public entities). And while the Fund is not able to provide grants to individuals, officials say it is funding organizations that have experience and history of providing people and families with services and support.

For more information on how to help grow the fund or learn more about how a local group can benefit, call the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County at 483-1561 or visit UWaySCC.org/Chautauqua-County-COVID-19-response.

This fund will be managed in partnership with the local United Ways (Northern and Southern Chautauqua County), local Community Foundations (Chautauqua Region Community Foundation and Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation) and a number of private and corporate foundations. It serves as a coordinated response to pool resources to meet the immediate needs of our community today, and to support long-term needs that are not yet known.

There will be a full announcement on Monday listing the earliest contributors and a process by which resources will be deployed to community-based organizations on the front lines of this pandemic.