ACT Now COVID-19 Fund Raises $500K, Gives Away $350K in Grants

The ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund has raised more than $500,000, and more than $350,000 has been given to 39 local nonprofits.

The city donated $100,000 at the onset of the outbreak of COVID-19, and Amazon donated $200,ooo toward the effort, according to ACT for Alexandria.

As of this week, $95,400 in grants was awarded to 11 nonprofits in the city, with most of the funds going toward emergency food, supplies and financial assistance in the city.

The recent grants were awarded to:

• Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center’s Food Bank: The Food Bank, which has seen requests double, provides culturally appropriate food and personal hygiene items. Funding will allow them to expand their mobile distribution sites to reach those who are home-bound and disproportionately impacted communities in the West End.
• Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington will provide financial assistance for medical expenses, utilities, transportation and vocational training to people who have recently returned to Alexandria from incarceration and who are set back by the virus outbreak.
• St. Martin de Porres Senior Center is keeping vulnerable seniors connected with medical consultations, case management and other supports.

As of April 2, 2020, The ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund has awarded more than $350,000 in grants to the following organizations:

• AHC, Inc.
• Alexandria Housing Development Corporation
• ALIVE!
• Basilica of St. Mary St. Vincent de Paul Society
• Best Buddies
• Capital Caring Health
• Carpenter’s Shelter
• Casa Chirilagua
• Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington
• Christ Church
• Christ Church Refugee Ministry
• Communities in Schools NOVA
• Community Lodgings
• Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center
• Family to Family, Old Presbyterian Meeting House
• Friends of Guest House
• Fruitful Planet
• Mother of Light Center
• Neighborhood Health
• Northern Virginia Family Services
• Nueva Vida
• OAR of Arlington, Alexandria & Falls Church
• Phoenix Houses of the Mid-Atlantic
• Project ID & Spread the Vote
• SCAN of Northern Virginia
• Senior Services of Alexandria
• Senior Services of Alexandria
• St. Paul’s-Lazarus
• St. Rita Church
• The Campagna Center
• The Child & Family Network Centers
• Together We Bake
• United Community
• Urban Alliance
• Volunteer Alexandria
• Volunteers of America Chesapeake
• Wesley Housing Development Corporation
• YMCA Metropolitan Washington

Staff photo by James Cullum