Posted April 1, 202012:39 pm
Written by Cory Shaffer in Cleveland.com on 04/01/2020
The $1,200 stimulus checks on the way to millions of Americans will be a lifeline to those who have been financially devastated due to restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
But those whose personal finances have not taken a hit might want to donate some of that money to charities that are bearing the brunt of global pandemic.
Here is just a small sliver of Cleveland-area organizations for those folks to consider.
The Cleveland Foundation’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund was set up specifically to target grants to organizations who are serving on the front lines of the pandemic. Their first round of grants went out last week, and they will continue to provide funding to organizations.
MedWish International, headquartered in Cleveland, collects and provides local health institutions with personal protective equipment and ventilators, life-saving items that have become precious commodities during this crisis.
Providence House, a crisis nursery committed to child abuse prevention and family preservation based in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, had to close its shelter due to the coronavirus pandemic but is still providing counseling and other services over the phone.
Domestic violence experts, like Cleveland’s Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center, fear a spike in abuse amid expanded stay-at-home orders.
The pandemic has also struck the legal system, and access to the courts for things like evictions or Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.
The Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless is working to provide emergency housing for some of the most vulnerable people during pandemic.
With schools closed through another month, thousands of children are at risk of going hungry. Organizations like the Hunger Network and the Children’s Hunger Alliance have dedicated to feeding families in need. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank has also been tapped to the max.
The Senior Transportation Connection provides coordinated, efficient and affordable transportation to seniors and adults with disabilities throughout Cuyahoga County.
The Centers for Families and Children provides access to healthcare, job training and educational services for thousands of Northeast Ohio families each year.