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INDIANAPOLIS — Nearly four dozen Central Indiana organizations received financial assistance Tuesday when the Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund announced its first round grants.
The Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund (C-CERF) made unrestricted grants to 46 community organizations totaling $7,305,000. A news release said funds raised by C-CERF will be used to stabilize community organizations that help people and families as they deal with the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
C-CERF involves a partnership between Lilly Endowment Inc., Central Indiana Community Foundation, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation and United Way of Central Indiana.
The fund, which is administered by the United Way of Central Indiana, has more than $17.8 million in hand with contributions and donations being solicited.
“Our coalition of funders has been in daily communication with community leaders across Central Indiana to assess emerging needs and direct service providers to better understand their most pressing challenges,” Ann Murtlow, president & CEO, United Way of Central Indiana, said. “With this information, the founding funders of C-CERF were able to make decisions on grants to organizations that serve in critical service areas that provide flexibility to problem solve in a rapidly changing environment.”
According to information from the United Way of Central Indiana, the C-CERF Task Force prioritized funding to community-based organizations in Boone, Hancock, Hamilton, Hendricks, Marion and Morgan Counties that focus on services that manage:
- Childcare for healthcare workers and first responders
- Food access for those struggling to make ends meet
- Homeless and shelter care that allows for safe health practices
- Strengthening access to resources for seniors and immigrants
- Disaster planning and infrastructure support to connect people to services
- Multi-service centers to help them address current and emerging needs in their neighborhoods
“At this moment, our community is feeling the impact of layoffs and other job losses, increased childcare needs due to school closures, and significant food shortages for our most vulnerable neighbors,” Ronni Kloth, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for community development, said. “We hope that this first wave of funding can help these organizations begin to address these and other critical needs.”
Click here to donate to C-CERF or text HELP2020 to 91999.
Organizations that received grants:
| Alternatives Incorporated | $50,000 |
| American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis | $250,000 |
| AYS | $400,000 |
| Barbara B. Jordan YMCA | $50,000 |
| Boone County Senior Services | $20,000 |
| Caring Center/Project Help | $25,000 |
| Catholic Charities Indianapolis | $250,000 |
| Christamore House | $100,000 |
| Churches in Mission | $50,000 |
| CICOA Aging and In-Home Solutions | $75,000 |
| Coburn Place Safe Haven | $50,000 |
| Community Alliance of the Far Eastside | $100,000 |
| Concord Neighborhood Center | $100,000 |
| Early Learning Indiana | $250,000 |
| Edna Martin Christian Center | $250,000 |
| Family Promise of Hendricks County | $25,000 |
| Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center at Crooked Creek | $50,000 |
| Flanner House of Indianapolis | $200,000 |
| Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana | $750,000 |
| Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County | $50,000 |
| Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana | $250,000 |
| Hawthorne Community Center | $100,000 |
| Hendricks County Senior Services | $50,000 |
| Horizon House | $100,000 |
| HVAF of Indiana | $50,000 |
| Immigrant Welcome Center | $20,000 |
| Indiana 211 Partnership | $200,000 |
| Indianapolis Urban League | $200,000 |
| John H. Boner Neighborhood Centers | $250,000 |
| The Julian Center | $250,000 |
| La Plaza | $100,000 |
| Martin Luther King Community Center | $100,000 |
| Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center | $100,000 |
| Meals on Wheels | $20,000 |
| Meals on Wheels of Hancock County | $20,000 |
| Midwest Food Bank | $250,000 |
| PACE | $50,000 |
| St. Vincent de Paul Society | $150,000 |
| The Salvation Army | $250,000 |
| Second Helpings | $750,000 |
| Sheltering Wings | $50,000 |
| Shepherd Community, Inc. | $100,000 |
| Southeast Community Services | $200,000 |
| Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana | $100,000 |
| Wheeler Mission Ministries | $250,000 |
| YMCA of Greater Indianapolis | $400,000 |