Powered by more than 2,000 online donors plus big time help from the likes of Bill and Melinda Gates, Macklemore, and the Seattle Seahawks, the Seattle Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund has reached $15.7 million. The effort announced its first round of grants this week.

“Over the last week, the COVID-19 Response Fund made $10.175 million in grants to community-based organizations responding to the immediate needs of vulnerable workers and families in the Puget Sound region,” the foundation said in its announcement. “The grants were made to boost groups’ capabilities to provide disproportionately impacted communities with emergency assistance, such as rent support, food security, healthcare, and childcare.”

The fund prioritized organizations that support low-income residents without health insurance or access to sick days, low-income workers in healthcare and the service industry, gig-economy workers, communities of color, people experiencing homelessness, as well as people with disabilities, greater health risks, and those with limited English proficiency.

The fund’s first round of grants supports 128 organizations including Asian Counseling and Referral Services, Byrd Barr Place, Casa Latina, Chief Seattle Club, Eastside Refugee & Immigrant Coalition, Seattle Indian Health Board, and White Center CDA.

Other Capitol Hill and Central District-focused grant winners include $100,000 to the Africatown Community Land Trust, $25,000 to 15th Ave E’s Lambert House, $25,000 to the Central Area Senior Center, $50,000 to Jewish Family Service—Refugee & Immigration Services, and $25,000 to Central District’s arts org Wa Na Wari. The full list of first round grantees is here.

COVID-19 Response Fund organizers say they plan to make multiple rounds of grants as the pandemic unfolds.

You can learn more at seattlefoundation.org/covid19.

CHS COVID-19

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