MHCF Recognizes and Congratulates the Following Non-Profit Organizations Who Have Received Disaster Relief GrantsIn January 2021, the MHCF hit a major milestone in our COVID-19 pandemic Disaster Relief Program. We achieved our grant matching goal and completed four grant cycles totaling over $100,000 in 21 awarded grants supporting 14 Morgan Hill area non-profits. These grant recipients received disaster relief funds ranging from $2,000 up to $25,000 per grant. In turn, these local non-profits use the grant funding to provide essential resources and services to individuals and families of greatest need during this ongoing economic and health crisis. Here is an overview of those Disaster Relief Grants awarded so far: Disaster Relief Grant RecipientsCommunity SolutionsIn June 2020, an MHCF Disaster Grant was awarded in support of Community Solutions plans to offer financial assistance for essential needs that individuals and families in the greater Morgan Hill community cannot afford due to COVID-19 pandemic-related loss of income. Community Solutions’ clients, families need assistance with gas money and/or Uber cards to get to work, the doctor, food distribution sites, etc. The initial disaster relief grant helped to provide direct assistance to residents of the greater Morgan Hill community who have lost income due to COVID-19. DreamPower HorsemanshipThe mission of DreamPower Horsemanship is "Building lives filled with DREAMS, and the POWER to make dreams come true." DreamPower provides equine-assisted activities and therapies as well as animal-assisted therapy and other mental health services for children, teens, adults, individuals, groups, and families. In January 2021, an MHCF Disaster Relief grant was awarded in support of their program providing equine-based psychological counseling to those in need in the larger Morgan Hill and South County community. Edward Boss Prado FoundationAn MHCF Disaster Relief Grant was awarded in June 2020 in support of the Edward Boss Prado Foundation Gate-to-Gate Giveaway Program. The Gate-to-Gate Giveaway serves families in need from numerous local nonprofits and agencies, including Community Solutions, Rebekah's Children Services, and public school districts as well as families seeking food assistance on their own. Of the total number of families in need, we estimated approximately 200 are within the greater Morgan Hill community. This new program was set up in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis and serves families and individuals suffering hardships from loss of wages, and high-risk people with underlying medical conditions. This program collects, purchases, and distributes groceries, clothing, and other necessities to support families during the shelter-in-place. A second MHCF Disaster Relief Grant was awarded in September 2020 to EBPF’s new Para Los Ninos program which was set up in response to the Covid-19 public health crisis. Para Los Ninos offers free drop-in internet access for local children K-8th grades to meet their distance learning obligations. The program and its volunteers provide a safe place for students to do homework and understand Chromebook assignments with tutors. Para Los Ninos serves families in need from numerous local nonprofits and agencies, including Community Solutions, Rebekah's Children Services, and public school districts as well as families seeking education assistance on their own. As the needs continue to grow in our community so does the good work of the Edward Boss Prado Foundation (EBPF.) MHCF’s Community Advisory Committee was pleased to provide an additional round of Disaster Relief grant funding In January 2021 to EBPF in support of their continued efforts to provide in-need and at-risk families with groceries and other in-kind basics and necessities. Gardner Health ServicesIn September 2020, MHCF was pleased to provide a Disaster Relief Grant in the amount of $5,000 in support of Gardner Health Services’ Food Bag Program which provides food bags to the undocumented families in our communities. Of the over 5,000 + patients that they serve in our Gilroy South County Health Center, 500 to 600 families are undocumented. These are families comprised of 2-8 members and are primarily affected by COVID-19 either through the transmission of the virus or by suffering job losses due to the pandemic. Learning and Loving Education CenterThe Learning and Loving Education Center (LLEC) provides education and literacy services to low-income immigrant women of Southern Santa Clara County. Disaster relief grant funding was awarded to the LLEC in Morgan Hill in July 2020 for their Family Support Fund to provide COVID-19 emergency relief to immigrant women and their families who have expressed a need due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Martha’s KitchenCongratulations to Martha’s Kitchen for their July 2020 grant award in support of their program providing "to go" boxes to charitable organization partners in Morgan Hill to facilitate their service of meals in a safe manner, avoiding the usual congregate dining situation. This important meal program assists the homeless, working poor, families, and senior citizens in our greater Morgan Hill community. The second phase of grant funding was awarded in September 2020 to Martha’s Kitchen to extend their "Hot meals for homeless" to charitable organization partners in Morgan Hill to facilitate their service of meals in a safe manner, avoiding the usual congregate dining situation. Recipients of the meals are homeless, low-income families, and individuals within the St. Catherine's Catholic Church and Advent Lutheran Church Voices School communities. The latest round of grant funding was awarded in January 2021 by MHCF in support of their continued efforts to deliver meals to Morgan Hill’s working poor, unhoused, and that at-risk-of homelessness. Morgan Hill Unified School DistrictIn September 2020, MHCF awarded the Morgan Hill Unified School District a Disaster Relief grant to purchase and distribute internet hotspots. The hotspots benefited the underserved students in our community that are having trouble with distance learning because of geographic and demographic barriers to internet access. PitStop OutreachPitStop Outreach’s mission is to work in partnership with unhoused residents in our community to improve their safety, health, and well-being, and to meet basic needs. Never has the need been so great as 9 months into an unprecedented socioeconomic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Disaster Relief grant awarded by MHCF in January 2021 was provided in support of PitStop Outreach’s continued efforts to provide meals, sanitation, and supplies to the unhoused in our community. St. Vincent de Paul, Morgan HillIn June 2020, MHCF awarded St. Vincent de Paul of Morgan Hill a disaster relief grant in support of its rent assistance program. The program provides rent assistance for low or extremely low-income households financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their target group is low or extremely low-income households, many of whom, for a variety of reasons, received little or no unemployment or economic stimulus funds during the pandemic. To date, rent assistance requests have come in from local restaurant and hotel workers, part-time or cash economy workers, home, and facility caregivers. Then in July 2020, a second round of funding was provided in support of its rent assistance program. Rent assistance requests continue to come in from local restaurant and hotel workers, part-time or cash economy workers, home, and facility caregivers. The long-tail effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be with us for some time as will the need for rent assistance within our community. Phase 2 COVID-Related Rent Assistance Project began was implemented with the intention of being able to respond again and more significantly to those in the community who seek rent assistance and qualify under the terms of the program. In January 2021, MHCF awarded a subsequent grant to St Vincent de Paul at St Catherine’s Catholic Parish to help twelve at-risk Morgan Hill households with the cost of utilities and rent. San Martin Gwinn Home and School ClubIn January 2021, MHCF awarded a COVID-19 Disaster Relief grant to San Martin Gwinn’s Home and School Club in support of their program to supplement grocery and gasoline expenses for the low-income families within their school community. South Valley Civic TheatreThe COVID-19 pandemic has hit the entertainment industry particularly hard and local community theaters are suffering the most. The MHCF Community Advisory Committee was pleased to provide a grant award to help provide much-needed video camera equipment for the South Valley Civic Theatre to shift their plays from in-person performances delivered online. As they say, the show must go on! Sovereign Order of MaltaIn June 2020, MHCF awarded an initial COVID-19 disaster relief grant in support of the Order of Malta’s project to provide 250 hygiene kits to those unhoused in our community who seek services via the Safe Parking Program, Monday Night Supper program, and Reach Out Food Pantry. Then in September 2020 MHCF awarded a second grant in support of this non-profit program to build 500 hygiene kits distributed to individuals in Morgan Hill alongside Morgan Hill charities supporting programs such as the Safe parking program, Reach Out Food Pantry, and the Monday night Supper program. In support of their continued good work in the Morgan Hill area, MHCF awarded additional funding In January 2021 to the Order of Malta to provide over 750 additional hygiene kits for Morgan Hill’s low-income and homeless residents. Town CatsTown Cats, as a non-profit, exists “to alleviate the suffering of stray, abandoned, unwanted, and feral cats in Santa Clara County and serve as advocates for all cats. Town Cats has rescued, helped, and adopted out thousands of friendly cats to loving families.” Unfortunately, families struggling to put food on the table during the COVID-19 pandemic, may not be able to provide food and for their pets. As so it is that MHCF awarded Town Cats a disaster relief grant in support of their program to provide a COVID relief pantry of cat food for families in need with cats. Our Work is Not DoneOur MHCF Board and volunteers continue to partner with local community groups and non-profits to extend the reach of this Disaster Relief Grant Program and Funding. We look forward to helping many other non-profits in the coming weeks and months until we, as a broader community, emerge from the long-lasting socioeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please Consider a Donation Today So We Can Keep Giving TomorrowThe greater Morgan Hill community is still experiencing the long-tail effects of the pandemic. We recognize the many, many needs in our community that local non-profits are still struggling to meet. We also acknowledge that the depressed economy in our region disproportionately impacts small business owners. Likewise, essential workers need services and support as well. Your donation in any amount will go directly back into the community to those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, our grant awards have gone to provide support and services such as providing financial assistance to those in our community who have lost income due to the pandemic as well as meal programs and other support for those struggling as a result of the socio-economic disaster. For more information about this special grant program and to contribute, visit our Donate to the Disaster Relief Fund information page. We Highly Encourage Local Non-Profits to Apply for a Disaster Relief GrantNon-profit organizations seeking Disaster Relief Grant funding must be a registered 501(c)3 non-profit serving the Morgan Hill Community. Grant funds can be used to help fund a current project already underway or fund a newly created project to address the socio-economic needs of the community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant amounts awarded by the MHCF may be for a portion or all of the requested grant amount, and non-profits are eligible to re-apply multiple times for future disbursement rounds. For information and to complete an application, visit our Disaster Relief Grant Program page.
1 Comment
7/26/2021 08:14:41 am
I am glad there are disaster relief grants being given out to people. That could come in handy when trying to provide relief. Anything helps when trying to recover from a disaster.
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About MHCFThe Morgan Hill Community Foundation (MHCF) is a philanthropic non-profit organization supporting the local Morgan Hill Community. We raise money to support local non profit organizations, provide grants to local schools, and act as a 501c3 partner organization to help new non-profits grow.
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