PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc. is investing $2.85 million to support people impacted by coronavirus
This past week has been hard…for everyone.
Life as we know it changed in an instant. Like many of you, my family and I are now self-isolating and practicing social distancing. I am working from home — suddenly trying to figure out how to balance work with homeschooling two teenagers and making sure they’re still learning. I’m trying to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues while watching current events unfold at a staggering and often frightening pace.
But as hard as this new reality feels for all of us, I also recognize that, for many in our communities, it is infinitely harder.
It is, of course, much harder for those who have contracted the virus or have loved ones who have.
It is terrifyingly harder for the front line healthcare workers trying to figure out how to guard themselves against this deadly pandemic when there isn’t enough protective gear and still many unknowns.
It is heartbreakingly harder for seniors on fixed incomes who can’t afford enough food. Parents who’ve lost an hourly job now struggle to figure out how to feed their children three meals a day because they’re no longer getting breakfast and lunch at school.
And it is painfully harder for parents who don’t have access to technology and digital resources to help their children learn remotely.
As President of the PwC Charitable Foundation, Inc., I am hearing countless stories about the rising challenges our communities are facing as a result of COVID-19. I am inundated with requests from our people asking how we can help. We have been working around the clock to answer that exact question. In late February, the PwC Foundation made a $350,000 grant to Project HOPE to help purchase and deliver protective equipment to health workers in Wuhan and Shanghai Provinces of China.
We’ve continued to evaluate the situation so we can ensure our response fulfills the greatest needs. The way we help has to look different, though, than it has in the past. Normally, we roll up our sleeves with our nonprofit leaders and get on the ground to help rebuild after a natural disaster. While we still want to do that, there is a directive to socially distance ourselves, so we need to be innovative and find new ways to help.
Today, the PwC Foundation is announcing a donation of $2.85M in grants to focus on urgent areas of need. In addition to the grant we gave Project HOPE, we’re giving a $500,000 grant to Feeding America to distribute emergency food boxes to those in need. Leveraging Feeding America’s network of 200 food banks across the country, we’ll reach children, seniors, laid off employees and anyone facing food scarcity due to this crisis. We are also giving $500,000 to Direct Relief to deliver personal protective equipment including N95 masks and essential items such as ventilators to healthcare workers in all 50 states.
Another $1.5 million will be made available through Reimagine Grants to our local leaders. They will make recommendations for nonprofits in their communities who need funds to aid in their COVID-19 response work. We recognize that challenges vary from city to city, so the PwC Foundation has long relied on our people to tell us where funds are most needed where they live and work.
The truth is, experts tell us things are going to continue being hard for a while and that it’s something we are all going to have to settle into. But while this pandemic is new, the PwC Foundation is experienced. We’ve worked with organizations to prepare communities for natural disasters, tragic events and other humanitarian crises. We are well-positioned to continue to help address these important societal problems in the short and long-term by enabling innovative relief organizations to build capacity to respond more rapidly.
While so much is unknown, I can promise you this: In the face of this new crisis, the PwC Foundation is committed to being there for our communities, to make a difference, and to be purposeful in our decisions so we can provide support where it is needed most.
Even though we have to physically be apart, we are all in this together.
Development Consultant
4yGood morning ma'am Yolanda, our organization called DAMAMASU comprising of two barangays (villages) and two sitios (sub-villages) in the Cordillera region of the Philippines has a total membership of 1,789 indigenous peoples/ individuals and heads of families. 80% of our members belongs to the smallholders category and are surviving on a hand-to-mouth existence. This COVID 19 pandemic has their lives more miserable as they can not go out to work or find food for their families. May we request you to help us? One of the plans we are putting in place is to implement a program on smallholders empowerment through small-medium entrepreneurship development program. May we please ask you to kindly fund our programme. Please send us your guidelines so we can prepare a project proposal and send you. Thank you and more power. Jerome
Director-Benefits at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
4yHats off to PWGrosser for their support as a small business on Long Island. The entire team should be proud to be part of an organization that is stepping up and doing their part.
Director of Racial Justice Initiatives at Middlesex District Attorney’s Office
4yImpactful work getting done!!!
Forex Trader
4yAmazing
National Healthcare Real Estate Leader
4yAWESOME Yolanda!!! So important!