The current outbreak of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has now affected over 100 countries and territories around the world, including the United States. In late January 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization announced that the outbreak of the novel respiratory virus was a “public health emergency of international concern.” On March 11, the World Health Organization Director-General officially characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic.
Most illnesses have currently been reported to be mild, though serious illness—including death—has occurred, especially among those with extreme underlying health conditions.
Nonprofit organizations are responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and mobilizing resources for coronavirus relief. Please consider making a donation to the coronavirus aid efforts of the Classy partners below.
Donate to Coronavirus Aid Efforts
Click the name of the organization to learn more about them or donate directly to their coronavirus aid efforts.
Testing and Treatment
CDC Foundation
Created by Congress, the CDC Foundation mobilizes philanthropic and private-sector resources to support the critical health protection work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are raising emergency response funds to enable the CDC to respond to both immediate and planned needs related to COVID-19.
Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic provides care of the sick, investigation into their problems, and further education of those they serve. The hospital system has reported it will soon have new, in-house coronavirus testing capabilities that will deliver results within eight hours, instead of the current 2 to 7 days it takes for off-campus labs to do so.
Donate HereLa Jolla Institute for Immunology
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is dedicated to understanding the power of the immune system because they believe that no other biomedical discipline has greater implications for human health than immunology. As a globally ranked immunology leader, LJI is actively pursuing more effective testing, diagnostic tools, and treatments to COVID-19.
Donate HereProvidence St. Joseph Health
Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH) is a national, Catholic, nonprofit health system comprised of multiple organizations who believe health care is a human right. Donations will help offset screening and treatment costs for affected patients in their facilities and vulnerable people who require home-based care, as well as support PSJH’s research efforts and data analytics to best identify and treat the coronavirus.
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Medical Supplies
WorldVentures Foundation
The WorldVentures Foundation works to promote children’s health, happiness, safety, and development. The organization is fundraising for emergency relief efforts for the people of Wuhan, the city in which COVID-19 originated. They are providing medical items like masks and gowns, as well as working with local authorities to educate communities about the coronavirus.
MedShare
MedShare is an organization that sources and delivers surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in need around the world. They are raising money to provide supplies, such as masks and gowns, to medical personnel who are treating patients and containing the virus.
MAP International
MAP International is a global health organization providing medicines and health supplies to millions since 1954. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, MAP is responding to their partners’ urgent requests in the United States and abroad with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and personal protective gear.
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Local Training and Prevention Measures
Amref Health Africa
Amref Health Africa trains local health workers to provide health services to their respective communities. They have partnered with Kenya’s Ministry of Health to train health workers on how to educate locals about the virus and prevention measures, maintain safety standards, and identify and refer suspected cases.
Donate HereLutheran World Relief
Lutheran World Relief works with partners around the world to end poverty, injustice, and human suffering. They are fundraising to send relief—including protective gear and health worker training—to areas whose health systems are not as strong as they should be.
Donate HereWaterAid
WaterAid works to improve access to clean water, hygiene, and sanitation in the world’s poorest communities. In response to COVID-19, they’re deploying hygiene and hand-washing programs around the world, including student education on hygiene practices, hand-washing stations, messaging to protect public health, and hygiene training for frontline health workers.
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Food Distribution
Feed My Starving Children
Feed My Starving Children provides nutritious meals to children around the world. In the midst of economic turmoil due to the COVID-19 outbreak, FMSC’s meals are providing nutritional and economic stability for some of the world’s most vulnerable individuals, families, and communities.
Donate HereFeeding San Diego
Feeding San Diego continues to provide healthy food to people in need across San Diego County. In addition to modifying their distribution model to incorporate social distancing, they’re serving children and families with additional fresh produce at the limited number of school meal sites that are open. They’ve also launched a peer-to-peer campaign to give their community an opportunity to come together in a meaningful way during this challenging time.
Donate HereBaton Rouge Area Foundation
The Baton Rouge Area Foundation supports philanthropists in pursuing their causes to better the lives of the people of South Louisiana. They are providing grants to nonprofits that will feed older people who can’t leave their homes, among others. They are coordinating and executing a response with nonprofit grant recipients and with governments.
Donate HereGod’s Love We Deliver
God’s Love We Deliver improves the health and well-being of men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. They’re fundraising to deliver a week’s worth of nutrition, in addition to extra high-protein soup and regular meals, to each of their clients in the New York City metropolitan area in the event that they are unable to deliver them.
Donate HereThe Greater Boston Food Bank
The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) is dedicated to ending hunger here. GBFB is continuing to distribute food to partner agencies and through their direct service programs, especially those that impact individuals at high risk, so that the people of Eastern Massachusetts have enough food during this uncertain time.
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Responses to School Closures
First Book
First Book works to provide equal access to quality education. They are fundraising to deliver 6 million books to kids whose schools are closing down due to the coronavirus.
Donate HereFirst Book Canada is also raising money to serve kids in low-income communities, whose educators are critically lacking basic hygiene supplies, books for kids to take home, and other high-need resources for their communities.
Donate HereSan Francisco 49ers Academy
The San Francisco 49ers Academy is a private nonprofit agency embedded in the public school system providing on-site services, staff, and programs to middle and high school students. In light of school closures, they set up the “San Francisco 49ers Academy COVID-19 Emergency Fund” to provide at-risk students and families with the immediate additional support they need to meet their basic needs.
Donate HereMinnesota Computers for Schools
Minnesota Computers for Schools works with schools and educationally-focused community organizations to provide technology solutions and skills training to individuals in need. They are fundraising to provide all students with computers, so they can continue their schoolwork and stay connected. Donations will help purchase memory, hard drives, and software licenses.
Donate HereThe Downtown Boxing Gym
The Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG) empowers Detroit students to be positive and productive members of society. DBG is assembling care packages for students to help replace school lunches and nutritious meals provided at DBG; preparing academic packets and mentoring sessions to help students keep up with schoolwork; and creating online workouts so students can still participate in physical activity.
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Support for Workers
Brooklyn Community Foundation
Brooklyn Community Foundation mobilizes people, capital, and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn. Their Brooklyn COVID-19 Response Fund provides immediate and longer-term resources to vulnerable residents across their borough. As a first step, they plan to issue grants to organizations providing lifelines for vulnerable populations; meal delivery and daily living needs for homebound neighbors; and support for low-wage workers who may experience food insecurity, loss of wages, and limited access to healthcare and paid sick leave.
Donate HereBroadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS funds the social service work of The Actors Fund and awards grants to AIDS service organizations nationwide. Their emergency assistance fund will help entertainment professionals meet coronavirus-related expenses and other challenges, including emergency financial assistance, health insurance, counseling, and the operation of The Friedman Health Center for the Performing Arts.
Donate HerePenFed Foundation
The PenFed Foundation empowers military service members, veterans, and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. They launched their COVID-19 Emergency Financial Relief Program to provide financial assistance to all veterans, active military service members, and those currently serving in the Reserves and the National Guard who are experiencing a financial setback due to the pandemic.
Donate HereDrive Change
Drive Change equips young, formerly incarcerated people with the tools to succeed in the food service industry and become leaders in their community. The organization runs an eight-month, paid fellowship for 18 to 25-year-olds to train them in culinary arts, place them into jobs, and ensure their hospitality partners provide a fair and supportive workplace. Drive Change created their “Fellows’ Fund” to support Fellows who have or will lose their restaurant jobs due to COVID-19, so that these hardworking young people stay on the path to success.
Donate HerePhoto Credit: CDC
