In alignment with our values and mission focused on health equity, access and quality, the Healthy Communities Foundation created the HCF COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund to provide emergency funding to nonprofit organizations that are directly addressing critical health needs in this crisis.
We knew, from the onset, that the HCF COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund would not begin to cover the expansive and evolving list of urgent needs in our region. Therefore, we decided to grant funds for immediate impact and prioritize this support for current grantee partners to address urgent basic needs of communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and residents living in the western suburbs.
OUR PRIORITY AREAS
Our focus with this Fund was to move money quickly to immediately assist with surge support and adaptation. HCF Rapid Response Fund Grants are designed to complement our annual general operating support, local responsive funding and the work of public health officials by expanding local capacity to address all aspects of the outbreak as efficiently as possible.
This Fund had one funding cycle focused on two overarching priorities: Surge Capacity Grants (i.e. Basic needs and supplies; tele-health) and Recovery Grants (i.e. Service adaptation).
COVID-19 IMPACT IN OUR REGION
While we have remained informed of health data and information of our region, we were still struck by applicants’ stories about the reality of COVID-19:
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- Communities with the highest COVID-19 positive cases and death rates in the state overlay right over our Legacy & Equity Zone, which have the most disparate health outcomes in the region.
- Immigrant families lack access to federal benefits for mixed-status families and have become unemployed at higher rates than other groups.
- The digital divide aligns directly with income and poverty indicators in our region—a testament that tele-services are not a solution for all.
- The lack of testing and accurate health information in Spanish and Arabic are a real barrier in the HCF region.
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The pandemic is not over and nor is our Foundation’s response. A rapid response to our region’s needs is an important step but we are also focused on what recovery will entail for our grantee partners and region. Read about our plans for this year’s general operating grants cycle.