RICHMOND, Va. -- A Richmond institution created a fund to help organizations struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church established a COVID-19 Relief Fund “to respond to the unprecedented levels of need in Richmond.”
The West Grace Street church made an initial investment of $150,000 to serve those in need.
On Thursday, Lynn Williams handed out bagged lunches to anyone who approached the church’s North 9th street entrance.
The Director of Outreach and Community Engagement has noticed new faces among those looking for food assistance.
“It’s more people out there that’s lost their jobs and their regular income and so they’re coming for the meal,” Williams explained.
On Thursday, new figures showed more than 74,000 Virginians filed jobless claims in the last week. In total, a half million people in the Commonwealth are out of work.
The church realized the need of the community expands past their kitchens.
“What we are seeing and hearing a lot of people who have lost their jobs, organizations trying to keep their employees and trying to keep doing the good work in the community,” Williams said.
Initially, primary consideration of up to $20,000 will be given to:
• Organizations (businesses and non-profits) that are serving, working, or based within communities that St. Paul’s has a relationship with - families in East End of RVA, housing/food insecure in RVA, and our friends in Mwitikira, Tanzania.
• Organizations addressing the broad set of needs that are emerging from the COVID health crisis as well as hardships created for by the stay-at-home measures including food access, childcare, housing, health services delivery, education, etc.
• Those who are interested in applying for funds should visit the church’s website to complete a grant application.
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