COMING TOGETHER
TO OVERCOME CRISIS.
As Western New Yorkers, we are known for our resiliency, generosity and collaborative spirit. In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, these positive attributes have been called upon like never before.
A collaboration of local philanthropic organizations, the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund was created to respond to our region’s needs during the pandemic. Our community supported this effort in a huge way and your generosity has made an impact on thousands of people. However, the need is still great — and growing. To learn more about our collective efforts to move forward together, click here.
PURPOSE OF THE FUND
When the pandemic reached Western New York in mid-March 2020, the philanthropic community mobilized quickly to support nonprofits serving on the frontlines of helping our community meet the emergency needs of residents. By March 24, the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund was up and running, conducted a needs survey with over 1,000 nonprofits, and began fundraising. The Fund announced its first round of grants two weeks later.
Throughout 2020 and to date, this collective group of philanthropic organizations has been monitoring the needs in our community and responding as quickly as possible. Grants have been made to address immediate areas of need such as a food, housing, healthcare, childcare, as well as to supporting organizations in working together to address long-standing challenges through Moving Forward Together.
The Fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and has received staffing support from The John R. Oishei Foundation, the Health Foundation for Western & Central New York, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County and the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation. As the pandemic has continued longer than expected, the Fund remains committed to continuing to monitor the needs and impact of the COVID-19 crisis in Western New York and finding ways to collaboratively respond in 2021.
OUR IMPACT
To date, the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund has awarded a total of $14 .2 million in grants to 400+ nonprofit organizations serving in all eight counties of Western New York.
To read more about the impact to date, read our Report to the Community that was released in November 2021.
in grants
nonprofit organizations
supported
Grantees serving
Beyond the numbers, the impact of the generosity of our community has been significant. Here are a handful of stories from nonprofits that received funding, in their own words.
SUPPORTERS
The WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund is a truly collaborative effort supported by nearly 80 foundations and corporations, 40 community leaders and nearly 2,000 individual donors. Thank you to all who have contributed to support our community during this crisis.
FOUNDERS
COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION FOR
GREATER BUFFALO
HEALTH FOUNDATION FOR WESTERN &
CENTRAL NEW YORK
THE JOHN R. OISHEI
FOUNDATION
UNITED WAY OF BUFFALO
AND ERIE COUNTY
Foundations and corporations
AAA Western and Central NY
James & Kristin Allen Fund
An Anonymous Family Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Avangrid Foundation / NYSEG
The Baird Foundation
The Cameron and Jane Baird Foundation
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Better Buffalo Fund
Henry W. & Martha L. Bruner Philanthropic Fund
Buffalo Bills Foundation
Buffalo Sabres Foundation
Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services
EJ and Karen Butler
Tom and Pat Calpin
Chautauqua Region Community Foundation
Chautauqua County Crisis Response Fund: COVID-19
William & Ida Christie Fund for Music
Citizens Bank
Columbia Sportswear Fund at the Oregon Community Foundation
Conable Family Foundation
The Peter C. Cornell Trust
C. Elizabeth Crump
Cullen Foundation
James H. Cummings Foundation
BlueCross BlueShield of WNY Blue FundBlueCross BlueShield of WNY Blue FundHeather J. DePaolo-Johnny Memorial Fund
James H. Cummings Foundation
D-B Trust
Laurie Dann and Tom Hunt
Heather J. DePaolo-Johnny Memorial Fund
D-B Trust
Laurie Dann & Tom Hunt
Heather J. DePaolo-Johnny Memorial Fund
Paul P. Dosberg Charitable Fund
East Hill Foundation
The Paul and Helen Ellis Charitable Trust
Experian Information Solutions in honor of M&T Bank
The Fisher Family Fund
Gallogly Family Foundation
Garman Family Foundation
General Motors
O. Richard Goldman Philanthropic Fund
Joanne Champion Granger Fund
Joanne Champion Granger Fund
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY Blue Fund
John and Elizabeth Hulley
JP Morgan Chase
Marie S. & Frederic K. Houston Fund
Hunt Charitable Foundation
Ruth E. Huppuch Living Trust
Nick Iannarelli Memorial Fund
Independent Health
D. Bruce and Gail Johnstone Fund
D. Bruce and Gail Johnstone Philanthropic Fund
Key Bank and First Niagara Foundation
Kreher Family Fund
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan , in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann Fund at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, in Memory of Joseph L. Hudson
Patrick P. Lee Foundation
Grigg Lewis Foundation
George and Teresa Lukis Family Fund
M&T Bank
Arlene and Ruth Mathews Fund
Morton Salt
National Fire Adjustment Company
National Fuel Gas Foundation
National Grid
New York State Health Foundation
Niagara Area Foundation
Sandy and Margery Nobel
The Papa Family
Pinto Foundation Fund
PwC
Andrew Rampado
Rodems Construction Co., Inc.
Rotary Foundation of Amherst East
Rowboat Family Foundation
Rupp Family Foundation
Sandhill Investments
Mr. Robert A. Scharf and Dr. Lawrence Van Heusen
Mr. Robert A. Scharf and Dr. Lawrence Van HeusenMr. Robert A. Scharf and Dr. Lawrence Van HeusenSherwood Family Fund
S & J Schwartz Fund S & J Schwartz Fund
SJM3 Fund
S & J Schwartz Fund
Rupp Family Foundation
S & J Schwartz Fund
J Schwartz Fund S & J Schwartz Fund
Simple Gifts Fund
Simple Gifts Fund
Southwest Airlines
Gerould R. Stange Fund
Stockton Family Fund
Sullivan Family Foundation
The Gary & Katharina Szakmary Fund
Tobin/Filvaroff Family Endowment
Peter and Elizabeth C Tower Foundation
UPS
Utica National Insurance
Vogt Family Foundation
Warzala Family Charitable Fund
Watson Billings Family Foundation
Wegmans
George Weiss Revocable Trust
The Weissman Family Foundation
The Margaret L. Wendt Foundation
Western New York Foundation
Williamsville East High School
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Trustee Designated and Matching Grants Program
Zemsky Family Foundation
Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation Trustee Designated and Matching Grants Program
Community Leaders
Stuart and Joyce Angert
David Bauer
John Berger
Don Boswell
Bob and Mary Ann Budin
Patricia and David Clabeaux
Warren Colville
John and Nicole Connelly
Michael W. Cropp, M.D.
Adrian F. & Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker
In honor of Charles G. Duffy Jr. and Virginia Leahy Duffy
John Mineo and Vicki Feine
Jay Gershberg
Bill and Mary Gisel
Cheryl Jankowski, CPA
Bruce and Gail Johnstone
Bill Lawley
Mike Lawley
Judy Jack Lewis and Larry Lewis
Jeffrey C. and Cynthia M. Littmann
Lisa M. Mendonza, M.D.
Carl Montante, Sr.
Carl Montante, Jr.
Michael Montante
Laura Montante-Zaepfel
Kathleen M. Mylotte, M.D.
William Paladino
Ann Pentkowski
John and Maria Pieroni
TJ Revelas
Roberta and Noah Rifkin
Chris Ross
MacKenzie Scott
Seneca Diabetes Foundation
Dr. Zvi Sharf
Patricia Smith
Anthony Spada, Jr.
Paul Tesluk
Michael Vitch
Ted and Ginna Walsh
Daniel Weintraub
Mary Wilson
Bruce Wisbaum
Margaret and Bob Zak
Larry and Leslie Zielinski
Moving forward together
Understanding that we need to emerge from this crisis stronger through innovation, the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund started the Moving Forward Together (MFT) initiative in June 2020 by developing and supporting strategies focused on long-term collaborative and systemic solutions to address persistent needs in our community. Through MFT, the Fund is supporting a series of initiatives including: Food Future WNY, Digital Equity & Inclusion, Public Policy & Advocacy and Sourcing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
FOOD FUTURE WNY
Food security has been identified as a major challenge in our community which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. The Western New York COVID-19 Community Response Fund, along with other funders, is supporting a community-focused, regionally coordinated planning effort called Food Future WNY. There are more than 100 partners working together that represent the entire spectrum of the food system in our region. Working cross-sector and cross-county, the objective is to address the entrenched and chronic conditions that have perpetuated long-term food insecurity. The highly participatory nature of this project will assure that authenticity of all voices will be evident in the process and final product.
A team of nationally-renowned food consultants led by Anthony Flaccovento at SCALE are working in 2021 to complete a broad assessment of the opportunities, challenges, concerns and opinions held by the diverse range of stakeholders in the region to inform the way forward. The planning effort is expected to take approximately 18 months.
Learn more at www.FoodFutureWNY.org
Digital Equity & Inclusion
Our service delivery system has completely changed due to COVID-19 to one that is far more reliant on virtual and electronic communication. The Fund has convened an initiative to bring together over 55 stakeholders, similar to the food system effort, to collectively work on solutions to bridge the digital divide through equity and inclusion in both urban and rural areas of Western New York. This is not a new challenge for our community, however digital challenges have multiplied for both learners and earners during the COVID-19 crisis. We must use this moment in time as an opportunity to collectively catalyze long-term change to bridge this long-standing divide.
Public Policy & Advocacy
In the summer of 2020, the Fund awarded a grant to the Partnership for the Public Good to embark on a yearlong public policy and advocacy initiative in partnership with the nonprofit sector. With significant input from the community, the effort will be focused on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and needed changes in public policy at local and state levels. An example of this work in action is advocating for permanent changes to expand telehealth coverage and reimbursement policies that would make healthcare more accessible for vulnerable populations.
Sourcing Personal Protective Equipment
Sourcing reliable and affordable vendors for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was a challenge when the pandemic hit. Resources were provided to Visually Impaired Advancement (VIA) to lead a coordinated effort to source and purchase PPE. This effort ensured that our nonprofit community had the supplies they needed to safely serve our community. In 2020, more than 100 nonprofits were able to purchase reliable and affordable PPE to carry out their missions safely for both their teams and those they were serving.
REQUEST FOR IDEAS
In June 2020, the Western New York COVID-19 Community Response Fund released a Moving Forward Together Request for Ideas (RFI) to seek out collaborative solutions from nonprofit leaders to address long-term challenges. We will be sharing updates on the ideas which have been funded. You can read about the first eight that have received implementation grants here.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
COVID-19 has profoundly impacted our daily lives — but it cannot change who we are or what our community stands for. By donating to WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund, you are ensuring your support is addressing COVID-19 needs in our community through a coordinated effort and that each dollar is maximized.
FUND UPDATES
Stay up to date on the work being done in Western New York thanks to the support of the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund and its generous donors by signing up for our mailing list.