News

United Way awards over $395,000 to local agencies through Recovery Fund

Bucks County COVID-19 Recovery Fund, established in March by United Way of Bucks County with additional funding from Penn Community Bank, continues to provide grants for COVID-19 related needs. 

Since its inception, the COVID-19 Recovery fund has provided 76 grants, totaling roughly $395,000, to dozens of local nonprofits serving people impacted by COVID-19. All grants focus on life-sustaining and essential human services.

United Way of Bucks County has awarded 11 new grants totaling almost $44,000, through their most recent grant cycle on December 7, 2020. This is the most grants the nonprofit has awarded during a single grant period. Recent grant recipients include: Lifespan Childcare Center, TLC Child Care Center, NAMI Bucks County, Lenape Valley Foundation, Catholic Social Services, Livengrin Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bucks County, YMCA of Bucks County, Family Service Association of Bucks County, One House at a Time, and Ivins Outreach Center.

Funds awarded this grant cycle will support; the purchase of sanitizing equipment, cleaning supplies, PPE, additional support staffing, data for telehealth appointments for clients, bed frames, mattresses, and bedding for children in Bucks County who are bedless, and meals and groceries for people who are unable to shop safely on their own.

“We were able to award so many grants this cycle, largely because our Board of Directors recently approved nine new nonprofits to join our roster of Member Agencies. More than half of the agencies awarded a grant this cycle are new member agencies,” said Marissa Christie, President and CEO at United Way. “We are very pleased to be able to support so many local nonprofits through this difficult time.” 

Since late August, the Bucks County COVID-19 Recovery fund has issued an additional thirteen grants totaling over $72,000 to Bucks County organizations assisting residents impacted by COVID-19. Among those agencies; Bucks County Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Bucks County Children and Youth, Quilts for Kids, The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Vita Educational Services, and Rolling Harvest Food Rescue all received a grant. Children’s Developmental Program, Credit Counseling Center, and YMCA of Bucks County were all awarded multiple grants in this timeframe.

United Way of Bucks County Member Agencies will continue to submit grant applications on a rolling basis. Applications are reviewed by a panel of business and nonprofit leaders. Payments are released immediately to ensure that people who experience a financial crisis due to COVID-19 get help quickly.

To learn more about the programs and services provided by these agencies, visit: www.uwbucks.org/covidgrantswork.

In addition to more than 800 individual, local donors, Penn Community Bank, Dow, BB&T now Truist, Janssen, PECO, Foundations Community Partnership, Bucks County Foundation, Simon and Jane Hallett, Barra Foundation, Grundy Foundation, Fegley Law Firm, Shoprite of Hunterdon County, Vistra Energy, Wells Fargo,  Bucks County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc., 100+ Women Who Care Bucks County, Residents of Ann’s Choice, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., The Albert W Bader Foundation, Inc., the Newtown Business Association, Johnson & Johnson, Inc., and M&T Charitable Foundation support the fund.

Donations can be made at uwbucks.org/COVIDrecovery or by mailing a check to United Way of Bucks County, 413 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills, PA 19030, with COVID recovery in the memo line.

About United Way of Bucks County:  Since 1952, UW Bucks has been improving lives in Bucks County by uniting donors, advocates, and volunteers around the common good. United Way programs focus on the building blocks for a good life: a quality education, a stable income, and good health. For more information, call 215.949.1660 or visit www.uwbucks.org.