LEXINGTON, Ky. — Blue Grass Community Foundation’s Board of Directors announced Tuesday that it will grant $100,000 from the Fund for Greater Lexington community endowment fund to support several initiatives providing relief to Lexington residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A grant of $50,000 will be awarded to the Coronavirus Response Fund, an emergency needs fund housed at Blue Grass Community Foundation, created in partnership with United Way of the Bluegrass. The Coronavirus Response Fund has already deployed $243,000 to nonprofit organizations providing access to food, healthcare, transportation, information and other basic needs to Central Kentucky residents who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information about the Coronavirus Response Fund, including a list of grant recipients and donation instructions, can be found at www.bgcf.org/coronavirus.
A grant of $10,000 will be awarded to the Nourish Lexington Fund, an initiative to utilize the skills of hospitality workers recently unemployed due to the COVID-19 restaurant closings to provide prepared meals to those who need immediate access to food.
NourishLEX is powered by FoodChain, with founding support from the E.E. Murry Family Foundation, Keeneland and VisitLEX. More information about NourishLEX can be found at www.nourishlexington.org.
A grant of $10,000 will be awarded to the Arts Resilience Initiative, a partnership of LexArts and Blue Grass Community Foundation, to provide financial relief for artists and arts organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information about the Arts Resilience Initiative will be announced later this week.
The balance of $30,000 will be set aside to award in the weeks ahead, as the needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic evolve over time.
“On behalf of the Community Foundation, we recognize that we are in the greatest crisis of our lifetimes,” said Board Chair Fran Taylor. “We were moved to act swiftly and approve this $100,000 grant from the Fund for Greater Lexington to provide relief to those who most need our help.”
The Fund for Greater Lexington is a public, community endowment — a permanent, ever-growing, charitable resource that provides funding to address Lexington’s most critical needs and compelling opportunities. The Fund for Greater Lexington was created in 1967 by BGCF founders Irene and C.W. Sulier. The aspirations for their initial $1,000 gift were simple: they hoped their fund would grow to support diverse community needs over time and that others with charitable intent might be encouraged to join them. Scores of Lexington residents have joined them over five decades, and thanks to those donations, a grant of $100,000 is being mobilized today.
“Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that the needs of our community have never been more urgent,” said Blue Grass Community Foundation President/CEO Lisa Adkins. “This is what a community endowment fund is meant for, to respond to the community’s greatest needs, in good times and in bad. Contributions to the Fund for Greater Lexington are one important way we can all invest together for the good of our community.”
The Fund for Greater Lexington is just one of 10 endowed community funds at Blue Grass Community Foundation. If you would like to make a gift to the Fund for Greater Lexington, or a community fund in Boyle County, Clark County, Franklin County, Harrison County, Madison County, Magoffin County, Morgan County, Rowan County or Woodford County, visit https://www.bgcf.org/communityfunds.
Add Comment