Delaware County nonprofits receive rescue grant money to survive impact of government shutdown, budget delays

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Twenty-three Delaware County nonprofits will receive a total of $131,500 in grants to address emergency needs following the federal government shutdown and Pennsylvania’s budget delay.

The Foundation for Delaware County and The Community’s Foundation announced Wednesday that they will award the first round of grants from the new Delaware County Rapid Response Fund.

“The needs in our community are significant, and they far exceed the resources available through the Response Fund,” said Michael Kellerman, president of The Foundation for Delaware County, in a press release.

Pennsylvania’s budget was due June 30. But a political stalemate in Harrisburg held up the budget for four months. The state General Assembly passed the budget Nov. 12.

The impasse placed a strain on resources at many schools and human service agencies. The federal government shutdown, which began Oct. 1, amplified the impact on nonprofits that rely on a steady revenue stream from the government to serve the public.

And as federal food assistance from SNAP faced major interruptions, the need for such human services increased.

From the Media Food Bank to the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, local organizations faced tremendous fiscal pressure. The Foundation for Delaware County and The Community’s Foundation worked together to deliver a lifeline.

On Nov. 3, the two foundations created the Delaware County Rapid Response Fund and seeded it with a combined $50,000. The Saunders House Foundation pitched in another $50,000.

“These funds will support almost three months of mortgage payments for DAP’s emergency safe house, a crucial need for our community and those fleeing domestic violence,” said Michelle Brown, executive director of the Domestic Abuse Project, in the press release.

The recipients run the gamut of providing food, maternal care, shelter and other resources for Delaware County.

“These organizations are doing remarkable work in the county,” said Dierdre Konar, president of The Community’s Foundation, in a press release. “They are trusted partners that can deliver immediate services during this crisis to meet the basic needs of vulnerable residents.”