Two local organizations in Princeton are the first to receive a financial boost from the recently created Princeton University Relief Fund for their relief efforts related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Princeton Area Community Foundation (PACF) and Princeton Children’s Fund, Inc. (PCF) will be awarded $500,000 of the university’s initial $1 million commitment to the established fund, after Princeton University’s administration made the announcement on April 29.
According to officials, $400,000 is headed to PACF’s COVID-19 Relief Fund and $100,000 to PCF’s Coronavirus Relief Fund.
“Every gift to our fund is helping us make a difference in the community. This donation is incredibly important, and we are thankful for the support of the University and the support of all of our other donors,” said Jeffrey Vega, president and CEO of Princeton Area Community Foundation. “Collectively, we are working to lessen the impact of this crisis on our most vulnerable neighbors.”
PACF’s COVID-19 Relief Fund provides financial support to community organizations addressing issues such as food insecurity and lost income.
“To date, we have awarded more than $845,000 in grants to 44 nonprofits in our region. More than $2.1 million has been donated to our fund, but we know more will be required. So far, we have received more than $3.3 million in requests for funding,” Vega said. “We are grateful for the support we have received, and if anyone in the community would like to make a gift to our fund, they can visit our website, at www.pacf.org.”
PCF’s Coronavirus Relief Fund also provides financial support but directly to local disadvantaged families in need of assistance for areas that include utilities, rent, child care and medical expenses.
“The donation from the university will enable us to support an additional 140-150 application requests and extend our efforts for another month or two. This translates to people and families being able to stay securely sheltered, connected to community and school resources, and weathering this pandemic without worrying about accumulating significant debt or potential homelessness,” said Felicia Spitz, president of the Princeton Children’s Fund, Inc.
She added that PCF has received more than 130 applications to date for assistance.
“Given the upfront time it took to organize the effort, create and disseminate outreach to the community, identify, train and onboard the volunteer social services professionals, we expect to see an increase in the rate of applications in coming months,” Spitz said. “We also expect to see an increase in the average request per application as people exhaust any savings that they may have had prior to the outbreak. We continue to appreciate donations from the community.”
According to Princeton University, the remaining $500,000 will be distributed as additional opportunities emerge with the university pursuing other partner organizations, especially those focused on helping local businesses.
The Princeton University Relief Fund’s focus will be on contributions to organizations that distribute directly to other nonprofits or, where appropriate, businesses, and to partnerships of community organizations working collaboratively to address current needs in the university’s local community.
The university will use the fund to contribute to those relief and recovery efforts already underway, and those that emerge in the coming months.
For more information on Princeton Area Community Foundation and Princeton Children’s Fund, Inc., visit www.pacf.org or www.princetonchildrensfund.org.