As the effects and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic unfold, we continue to witness the creativity, resilience and resolve of our community. Public health leaders and those on the front line providing medical care are working tirelessly. Nonprofit leaders and their teams are adapting practices and finding ways to share resources to serve our region’s most vulnerable citizens. Residents are exploring new ways of building community and fostering social connection. And, our partners at Community Foundation of greater Richmond and PlanRVA launched the COVID-19 Relief Fund to mobilize resources in response to the significant needs of our community. All of these acts speak to the resourcefulness of our region and are essential to maintaining hope in this time of uncertainty and physical distancing.
We recognize that the impact of COVID-19 will likely be long lasting, have a disproportionate effect on vulnerable populations, and will require investments in policy and advocacy and community building and engagement over the years to come.
Last week, the Trustees of Richmond Memorial Health Foundation met and approved a first-phase grantmaking response to COVID-19. The Trustees’ first-phase response is centered in the Foundation’s commitment to foster health equity and will provide one-time general operating support to organizations providing critical services and outreach to senior citizens, non-English speaking populations, those at risk of intimate partner violence and other forms of physical abuse and those at risk of losing much needed behavioral health services. We will also continue to work with our core health safety net partners that are delivering much needed health care.