Henson Foundation makes substantial gift to Community Foundation and United Way
The Richard A. Henson Foundation is contributing $250,000 to assist Lower Shore nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 to relief funds created by the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore and United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore. Funding will be shared between the two organizations with each receiving $125,000.
"Core to our mission for the Henson Foundation is to allocate resources as Mr. Henson intended. We are confident he would have wanted to provide leadership during this unprecedented crisis,” says Steve Farrow, RAHF Chairman. “We hope our gift will inspire other donors to offer their support."
The recent COVID-19 outbreak and rippling economic effects have put a strain on area nonprofits. Local organizations have seen an increased demand on the critical services they provide to the community, while facing additional operating challenges due to new regulations and business closures. Organizations dependent on volunteer activities also find themselves in difficult situations under recent stay at home orders.
“Through times of great hardship, come acts of great good. Gifts to the community, like that which the Henson Foundation has made, bring hope and encouragement to many,” says Erica Joseph, CFES President. “The unwavering resolution to help one another is woven deep into the fiber of the Lower Shore, and it is through this strength that we will not only rebuild, but we will grow and triumph together.”
While the Community Foundation and the United Way have two separate grant-making funds, both organizations will make donations available to their respective eligible nonprofits. By creating response funds specific to COVID-19 nonprofit needs, the organizations can ensure donors’ gifts are rapidly applied to the most pressing demands, while maximizing impact due to the expertise CFES and UWLES each hold in the nonprofit sector.
“Many local nonprofits will face hardship as a result of the pandemic. Our collective goal is to quickly provide relief to these organizations so that they may adapt and continue providing vital services to our community,” states Pam Gregory, UWLES President/CEO. “Meeting the needs of those most vulnerable in our region by making grants available to our partners is paramount.”
The Richard A. Henson Foundation is one of several region-wide partners working with CFES and UWLES towards collaborative community efforts. The organizations hope to encourage the public to assist their communities in whatever ways they can, including gifts of time, talent, and financial resources.
To learn more, apply, or give visit CFES.org/covid19 or UWLES.org/COVID19