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.
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.
Donate HereVanderbilt University Medical Center
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is dedicated to improving the healthcare of individuals and communities regionally, nationally, and internationally. They are fundraising to support their physicians, nurses, and care providers; their research teams that are testing existing drugs to reduce COVID-19 symptoms; and their experts in vaccine and drug development working on new treatments to treat or even prevent the infection.
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Support for Medical Centers and Staff
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Cedars-Sinai is a nonprofit academic healthcare organization serving the diverse Los Angeles community and beyond. In response to COVID-19, they’ve put together several emergency response funds to support their physicians, nurses, and other front-line staff caring for patients; the hospital’s daily operations in response to coronavirus; research for life-saving treatments; and more.
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.
Donate HereShining Hope for Communities
Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) catalyzes large-scale transformation in urban slums by providing critical services, community advocacy platforms, and education and leadership development for women and girls. They are raising awareness in the urban slums in Kenya and providing access to hand-washing stations, hand sanitizer, and accurate, up-to-date information.
Donate HereIMA World Health
IMA World Health works to build healthier communities through collaboration with key partners to serve vulnerable people. They are providing protective gear to health workers and ensuring health networks have accurate, updated information about the coronavirus so they can keep families stay safe.
Donate HereCORE
CORE brings relief to communities facing the realities of both natural and man-made disasters. They are working with local partners in the communities they serve to support high-risk populations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through hygiene kits and food.
Donate HereFree Wheelchair Mission
Free Wheelchair Mission is a faith-based, humanitarian organization that has distributed more than 1 million wheelchairs to individuals in need in 93 countries. In response to COVID-19, they are providing medical supplies and mobility aids such as masks, gloves, surgical supplies, walkers, canes, and wheelchairs.
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Local Training and Response
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.
Donate HereNuDay Syria
NuDay Syria works to secure sustainable aid in a dignified manner for Syrian mothers and children, while fostering an understanding across perceived differences. They are preparing against the spread of COVID across Idlib by distributing hygiene kits, teaching prevention methods, and building wells to expand water access in Syria.
Donate HereBlinkNow Foundation
The BlinkNow Foundation provides quality education and a loving, caring home for orphaned, impoverished, and at-risk children in Surkhet, Nepal. Additionally, the foundation works to reduce poverty, empower women, improve health, and encourage sustainability and social justice. The BlinkNow Foundation is currently implementing emergency relief efforts to provide aid to families of students and community members impacted by the government-mandated stay-at-home orders, and the rising COVID-19 threat.
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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 HereFeeding Tampa Bay
Feeding Tampa Bay provides food to food-insecure families in the 10-county area of West Central Florida. With extended breaks and closures, families, children, and seniors are increasingly in need of food assistance.
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.
Donate HereSt. Vincent Meals on Wheels
St. Vincent Meals on Wheels prepares and delivers nutritious meals to homebound seniors and other vulnerable residents across Los Angeles. In response to senior centers closing due to social distancing, they’re raising money to serve the hundreds of new seniors in need of home-delivered meals.
Donate HereHunger Free Colorado
Hunger Free Colorado connects people to food resources and drives policy, systems, and social change to end hunger. They are compiling the latest information on active food distribution locations and services to ensure Coloradans can connect with the nearby food resources they need during this time.
Donate HereGolden Harvest Food Bank
Golden Harvest Food Bank strives to increase access to healthy food and foster long-term stability for people in need in their 25-county service area. They’re hosting a virtual food drive to provide meals for families, children, and seniors in need.
Donate HereFoodbank of Southeastern Virginia
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore provides food for hungry people throughout Southeastern Virginia and on the Eastern Shore. They’re working to provide nutritious food to those in their community most at-risk of hunger—seniors, children, and low-income families.
Donate HereFoodbank of Santa Barbara
The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is ending hunger and transforming the health of Santa Barbara County through good nutrition. They are increasing food distribution measures at this time.
Donate HereFeed My People Food Bank
Feed My People Food Bank works to solve two problems, hunger and food waste. They rescue millions of pounds of food from manufacturers, suppliers, farmers and more and connect it to those who need it. They are organizing food pantries, children’s meal bags, emergency food bags, and more for the people in west central Wisconsin.
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Housing, Food, and Funding for Communities
Women in Need (Win)
Win provides safe housing and critical services to help homeless women and their children rebuild their lives and break the cycle of homelessness. They are working overtime to provide childcare and educational environments for children and feeding families out of their emergency food pantries; they’re fundraising to keep these pantries stocked.
Donate HereMobile Loaves & Fishes
Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) empowers communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless. To serve their Community First! Village neighbors and homeless individuals in Austin, they are distributing prepared meals daily, working to provide alternative dignified income opportunities for the formerly homeless men and women who rely on their Community Works program for their income, increasing cleaning and sanitizing efforts, and providing additional hand-washing stations across the property.
Donate HereUnited Way of King County
United Way of King County is building a community where people have homes, students graduate, and families are financially stable. They are working to provide food and rental assistance for the people affected in their communities.
Donate HereMesa United Way
Mesa United Way supports dozens of local organizations that provide basic services, educational programs, health care, and programs that foster self-reliance. As the COVID-19 outbreak disrupts normal work and school routines, they are supporting people facing shortages of income, food, and basic supplies.
Donate HereRobin Hood
Robin Hood fights poverty in New York City. They have re-activated a special Relief Fund to address the coronavirus and related issues, including food, housing, and funding for impacted New Yorkers.
Donate HereHELP USA
HELP USA works to provide shelter to meet people’s immediate needs, as well as the support they need to succeed for themselves, their families, and their communities. They are helping homeless youth and families with tablets and WiFi for students; protective equipment and cleaning services for their facilities; everyday essentials like diapers, canned food, and toiletries; and additional staffing.
Donate HereLifeMoves
LifeMoves is dedicated to finding solutions to homelessness in Silicon Valley. As they serve their homeless neighbors, they are fundraising to sponsor meals at their shelters and facilities, provide personal medical equipment for clients and staff, provide enhanced cleaning services, and supporting their direct services staff.
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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.
Donate HereAspire Public Schools
Aspire Public Schools represents 40 community-based public charter schools in California and Tennessee that prepare TK-12 students for success in college, career, and life. They are raising money to provide grocery store gift cards, laptops, and WiFi for their families in need.
Donate HereFoster Care Counts and Foster Nation
Foster Care Counts improves the lives of youth in foster care and ensures they thrive. As most colleges and universities are canceling in-person classes and switching to online instruction, they’re partnering with iFoster and John Burton Advocates for Youth to distribute free laptop computers and smart phones with hot-spot devices so that foster youth students—who may not be able to access their courses otherwise—can stay on track with their studies.
Donate HereOakland Public Education Fund
The Oakland Public Education Fund develops community resources in Oakland public schools so that all students can learn, grow, and thrive. They are working to provide funds for vulnerable students, healthy food and meals for students and families, and continued teaching and learning.
Donate HereSponsors for Educational Opportunity
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity supports talented young people from underserved and underrepresented communities around the nation. To support their scholars, who are from low income and first generation college families, they are raising money to cover unexpected costs for these students, including loss of housing, travel, internet access, replacement textbooks, and food.
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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 HereAsian Pacific Environmental Network
Focusing on Asian immigrant and refugee communities, Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) strives to bring fundamental changes to economic and social institutions that will prioritize public good over profits, and promote the right of every person to a decent, safe, affordable quality of life, and the right to participate in decisions affecting our lives. APEN is organizing a COVID-19 Emergency Community Stabilization Fund to make sure that working class Asian immigrants and refugees have what they need to stay home and stay healthy during this pandemic.
Donate HereRestore NYC
Restore NYC exists to end sex trafficking in New York and restore the well-being and independence of foreign-national survivors. They are providing cash assistance to survivors of sex trafficking, who are impacted by their children’s school closures and businesses ramping down hours, leading to great financial impact. Many of the foreign-national survivors they serve are also not eligible for other types of relief.
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Support for Incarcerated People
Incarcerated Nation Network
Incarcerated Nation National Council (INC) is a collective of leaders that creates an alternative to incarceration by working on collaborative projects serving youth, providing resources and a safe space for mentoring for members returning from incarceration as well as impacted youth. The communities they serve are especially in need of life-saving resources during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Donate HereThe Last Prisoner Project
As the U.S. has moved away from criminalizing cannabis, but leaves behind those who have suffered criminal convictions and the consequences of those convictions, the Last Prisoner Project works to redress the past and continuing harms of these unjust laws and policies. The Last Prisoner Project has been working tirelessly to protect incarcerated constituents from the potentially catastrophic consequences of COVID-19, as the situation remains dire and conditions are worsening at prisons across the country.
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Animal Sheltering
GreaterGood.org
GreaterGood.org improves the health and well-being of people, pets, and the planet. As animal shelters begin to close and some larger cities are already seeing major lockdowns, the organization is working to get pets out of the shelter and into foster in much of the country. They’re fundraising to locate fosters and pair them with shelters in need, as well as provide operational support and supplies to shelters to ensure long-term care for pets during this crisis.
Donate HerePhoto Credit: CDC
