Dear Friends,
I hope this message finds you healthy and safe. As communities throughout Massachusetts reel from the challenges of Covid-19, those who experience discrimination and financial insecurity in the “best of times” are now more vulnerable than ever.
In response, we fast-tracked our annual grantmaking process and disbursed $576,000 in unrestricted grants in a matter of days.
We’ve followed philanthropic best practices by reaching out to our grant recipients to check-in about their questions and concerns, provide reassurance of our funding commitments, host virtual listening sessions, and mobilize in response to critical needs. Yet, I recognize that current needs will certainly evolve as most
grassroots organizations face an uncertain future
.
In speaking with many of our grassroots leaders by phone or online, what I am hearing is not surprising or dissimilar from what you might expect. They are worried about the programs they’ve had to suspend, the events they’ve had to cancel, the fundraising they’ve lost, the staffing decisions they are trying to balance, and the vulnerable individuals/families they serve who are now even more isolated and at-risk. We do not know how long this uncertainty will last, but what I do know is that small, grassroots organizations are even more important now than ever to the communities they serve.
And that means your support is even more vital than ever before.
In light of the current public health emergency, the Fund has more than doubled its pool of emergency grants to $56,000 thus far, with the goal of raising at least $100,000 more in order to enhance our ability to support grassroots community organizations in the coming weeks and months.
I invite you to join us during this crucial moment in history.
Please give what you can and consider your gift an act of
solidarity
as opposed to charity because your support now will make all the difference!
In Solidarity,
