The Greenbelt Community Foundation has awarded an unprecedented emergency grant to the City of Greenbelt. The Foundation’s Board, which usually awards grants to local organizations to operate their own programs, has unanimously decided to award $10,000 to the city’s Good Samaritan Fund.
With the citizens of Greenbelt facing major challenges during the Covid-19 crisis, the Greenbelt Community Foundation board made the decision to directly impact the people most in need. The Good Samaritan Fund was chosen to facilitate awarding funds to families with children to pay for utilities – electric, water, gas and internet. Of particular importance is assisting school-age children to continue to participate in virtual education. Ensuring that these children have internet access is critical to this goal.
The city will determine which families, 40 in total, will receive the $250 awards. The city will use the Foundation’s stipulation that school-age children be present in the family, as well as the existing eligibility requirements in place for the Fund.
According to Greenbelt Cares Director Liz Park, “The city will administer the application and disbursement of the funds for utility assistance. These funds will provide great relief to families who are suffering financially due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Carol Shaw, Greenbelt Community Foundation Board president emerita, stated, “The board has been discussing how the Foundation could help in a proactive way since this crisis began. This fund was the perfect way to directly help the citizens of Greenbelt with funds raised here in the City of Greenbelt.”
The Foundation has already provided the city with the funds, and families should start to hear about their receipt of funds in early 2021.
Stephanie Calhoun is the incoming president of the Greenbelt Community Foundation.