New $2.5M Hawaii Fund Aims To Help Nonprofits With Coronavirus Pandemic

New $2.5M Hawaii Fund Aims To Help Nonprofits With Coronavirus Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic is leading to job losses, quarantines and lots of uncertainty in the Aloha State.

The Hawaii Community Foundation has created a new $2.5 million fund to help public health and other local nonprofits that are trying to help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The fund includes $1 million from the Omidyar ‘Ohana Fund, $1 million from Hawaii Community Foundation, and $500,000 from the Stupski Foundation.

The fund is aimed at supporting health care workers, expanding testing and screening for COVID-19 and helping vulnerable people who are quarantined with home visits and food deliveries, according to HCF spokeswoman Sheila Sarhangi.

Hundreds of customers line up at 9 a.m. at Sams Club, many stocking up for the coronavirus pandemic. The line snaked from the entrance all the way to the end of the parking structure.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

“Grants will be provided to specific health care organizations and nonprofits currently working in appropriate spaces. In an effort to move resources swiftly and to reduce the burden on organizations serving on the frontlines, HCF is forgoing a formal application process at this time,” Sarhangi said in a press release Wednesday.

“As fundraising continues to address the outbreak and the future recovery phases of the crisis, additional funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, making it possible to quickly adapt to evolving needs. The initial round of grants is expected to be released as soon as possible.”

The fund is called the Hawaii Resilience Fund and is open to donations from the public.

Omidyar Ohana Fund, established by Pierre and Pam Omidyar, is managed by the Hawaii Community Foundation. Pierre Omidyar is the CEO and publisher of Civil Beat.