Feed our Families: $40,000 Matching Gift Challenge
Thanks to a very generous gift from an anonymous donor, all donations made in April will be matched up to $40,000. Our goal is $80,000. Please help us get there!
WHEDco families have already been hard hit by the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus, as greatly-needed income has been eliminated. These families often do not have savings or other safety nets and will struggle to meet their daily nutritional needs during and in the aftermath of this crisis. WHEDco has identified over 200 high-need families that will need immediate support, including:

  • 100 formerly homeless families living across WHEDco’s three affordable housing developments
  • 100 extremely low-income immigrant families enrolled in WHEDco’s Early Childhood Discovery Center and After School programs  
Other Ways WHEDco Continues to Support Our Communities
  • Technology: Thanks to support from the Edith Glick Shoolman Children’s Foundation and other partners, children in our Early Childhood Discovery Center and After School Programs are able to participate in distance learning activities using Chromebooks. Our educators have rolled out video instruction to foster continuity of education and create a sense of normalcy for kids. As an example, here’s a video of Melissa, a 3-year old enrolled in our pre-school, making circular burbujas (bubbles) as part of our Center’s literacy unit on Water.
  • Home-based Childcare for Working Parents and Essential Workers: WHEDco is connecting essential workers to licensed childcare providers within our Network.

  • Mental Health, Public Benefits, Legal, and Food Resources: Our social workers and case managers continue to be in regular communication with our building and community residents, including families in our school-based programs. Our team is assessing needs, providing counseling and connecting families to critical food, public benefits, health, and legal resources in real time.

  • Small Business Support: Our Community Development department is connecting local entrepreneurs to resources that will help them weather the economic downturn and loss of revenue and income. We have begun providing remote technical assistance to help businesses get online, adapt to offer e-commerce, and market their products and services to meet new demand. Small food manufacturing businesses –an essential service– are also adapting and continuing to produce food in Bronx CookSpace.

  • Affordable Housing: Families continue to sign leases and move into their brand new homes at Bronx Commons! In a time when housing security is a growing concern, we are proud to provide beautiful, safe and affordable apartments in the Bronx. 

It is clear that this crisis will continue for some time. If you can, please consider making a gift to support our matching grant challenge for food relief or to WHEDco’s overall COVID-19 response. And please encourage your friends and family to join us, as well.
About WHEDco: For more than 25 years, WHEDco has been a leader in creating thriving neighborhoods in the South Bronx. In addition to building beautifully-designed Green, Affordable Homes that serve as a foundation for family stability, WHEDco creates life-changing opportunities for local residents of every age through our research-driven Early Childhood and Youth Education initiatives, which set kids on a path to college; Small Business Development programs, which nurture entrepreneurship and address community needs; Family Support and Counseling services, which connect families to the critical resources they need to succeed; and Arts and Culture programming, which showcases the borough's musical legacy and supports a new generation of artists. Learn more at whedco.org.
WHEDco is an I.R.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations are 100% tax-deductible.
WHEDco
718.839.1157
communications@whedco.org