The Worcester Together fund announced over $116,000 in grants to the latest round of nine nonprofits today. The fund, a joint effort between the Greater Worcester Community Foundation, the United Way of Central Massachusetts in collaboration with the City of Worcester, supports the needs of local organizations working with communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in Worcester County. Worcester Together has granted $732,759 to 51 organizations to support their services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“The Worcester Together fund is proud to support the organizations at the frontline of Worcester's outbreak response,” said GWCF President and CEO Barbara Fields. “This latest round of grantees are providing indispensable resources and services for the most vulnerable people in our community.”

The grants, totaling $116,500 are the latest of numerous rounds of funding through Worcester Together and are directed towards meeting the immediate needs of organizations serving communities and individuals who are heavily impacted by the current crisis. The grants are targeted to organizations that serve child care needs for essential workers and first responders, vulnerable populations (including the elderly) and emergency food and shelter.

“We are grateful for the continued support of our donors,” said Tim Garvin, CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts. “Their generosity makes everything Worcester Together has done since the start of the outbreak possible.”

The grantee organizations are:

Organization Name

Brief Description

African Community Education

Technology & educational supplies to virtually deliver advocacy, referrals, translation, homework help to students and families

ARCHway

PPE & Cleaning supplies for residential school in Leicester

Friends of St Luke's, Inc.

Support for start up of an emergency shelter and portable toilets and washing stations in Southbridge

Nativity School of Worcester

Educational materials & food to support students and their families

Rise Above Foundation

To support students in foster care with purchases of various educational items and activities to support learning

Riverside Community Care Inc.

Tech purchases to help deliver tele-behavioral health

South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC)

To support a second shelter site in Worcester for homeless individuals

Boys & Girls Club of Worcester

Support for the childcare consortium who are providing emergency childcare for essential workers. The sites includes Boys & Girls Club Worcester, Boys & Girls Club Webster/Dudley, Guild of St. Agnes, Pakachoage Acres and YWCA

Colony Retirement Homes

Support for meal delivery, tech and activity purchases for residents to help against social isolation

GWCF and UWCM invite institutions, companies, individuals and other funders to contribute to the Worcester Together fund at www.greaterworcester.org and www.unitedwaycm.org. The Worcester Together fund is also working with the City of Worcester, local officials throughout the County and other funders to give the Fund maximum reach and effectiveness. In addition to offering an opportunity to contribute to the Fund, the partners in the fund also urge donors to directly support the critical needs of nonprofits by making general operating support grants to organizations they wish to help.