Community Urgent Relief Fund

GIVE TODAY TO THE COMMUNITY URGENT RELIEF FUND

June 4, 2020 UPDATE:

After 11 weeks of emergency grant distribution to address the local impact of the Coronavirus, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and United Way of Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region are preparing to conclude our joint crisis relief grantmaking. Pending the availability of funds, we will accept and review grant applications through June 12. We intend to maintain a minimal balance in preparation for the next time we unfortunately need a coordinated emergency funding response. Read the full statement here.

How is KZCF helping?

During this time of uncertainty and isolation with the coronavirus (COVID-19), we are working diligently in partnership with many nonprofits and community members on addressing the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable in our community.

Our community has demonstrated commitment to coming together and supporting each other during times of crisis while ensuring those who struggle financially and economically are supported in every way possible.

• If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, dial 2-1-1 to connect with support services. For more information about COVID-19 and relief resources, check out the following links: 
  • Kalamazoo Public Library's COVID-19 Self-Isolation Information and Resources (updates daily)
  • Southwest Michigan First COVID-19 Business Resources
    
  • WMU Student Emergency Relief Fund
  • KVCC COVID-19 Student and Faculty Resources
  • Kalamazoo College COVID-19 Student Resources
    
  • MLIVE How to apply for unemployment during coronavirus crisis
  • CASE at Duke COVID-19 Capital Relief resources for entrepreneurs
  • City of Kalamazoo's Small Business Loan Fund
  • Small Business Administration Loan
  • Economic Injury Disaster Loan
  • Michigan Paycheck Protection Program
    
• Gryphon Place has put together a list of COVID-19 relief volunteer opportunities, visit their website to learn more on how you can help.
  
  
• We recognize that certain ethnic groups, especially Chinese Americans, are being blamed for this outbreak. As a community, we must stand firm against these ill-informed opinions. We invite you to learn about the impact on these groups in order to help disrupt and address issues of hate and bias. Learn more from the Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy website.
  
  
• Recent COVID-19 public health data has shown how communities of color, especially Black/African Americans, essential workers who are low-income, and incarcerated individuals are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. We recognize this impact is due to many factors including systemic and institutional oppression within our healthcare system, economy and decades of inequality. We must work together in collaborative conversation to make sure that communities and populations most at risk are receiving the attention and services that they deserve. The solution for getting through this pandemic lie in unity and community. Here is a great resource from Racial Equity Tools about applying a racial equity lens to your organization's COVID-19 response and visit The Opportunity Agenda's website on how you can help support racial, economic and health equity for our community.
  
  
• NONPROFIT PARTNERS: We encourage you to join the Kalamazoo County Response Consortium (KCRC) coordinated by Gryphon Place. Adam Castle, Community Resilience Program Manager at Gryphon Place, will be convening weekly calls every Monday at 11am that will allow the full nonprofit sector to collaborate, problem solve, and collectively identify needs as they emerge. Further information about accessing local funds will be shared during these calls. A Facebook group has been started for this consortium, join here to collaborate with other nonprofits and get the latest update.
  
  If you have any other questions regarding the grant application process, please do not hesitate to contact Sandy Barry-Loken, sbarry-loken@kalfound.org or Alyssa Stewart, astewart@uwbckr.org.
  
  The conference call information for the Monday weekly calls are as follows:
  ZOOM URL: https://zoom.us/j/586436896   Meeting ID: 586-436-896
  
  
• We have partnered with United Way to activate our respective community crisis relief funds (United Way's Disaster Relief Fund and KZCF's Community Urgent Relief Fund) to address the emerging needs that are surfacing in key services for our most vulnerable community members.
  
  The three priorities that we will fund jointly are as follows:
  • Assist with immediate and anticipated direct service needs/gaps
  • Maintain or expand critical internal operations and infrastructure and 
  • Support costs associated with additional volunteer capacity as needed in this time of crisis.
• Read more here about the urgent relief grant recipients from the crisis funds who are supporting families and individuals impacted by COVID-19.
  

We will keep you informed as we take further actions. Thank you for your compassion, courage and support for our community.