Submitted by the Chehalis Foundation
The Chehalis Foundation announced March 31 the awarding of $20,000 in grants to organizations providing critical support services for local families impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak and response. The Chehalis Foundation is contributing $10,000 to the Visiting Nurses Foundation and $10,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of Chehalis.
“We are blessed to have a strong support system and a committed community equipped to serve families in these unprecedented times,” said Chehalis Foundation President Tim Sayler. “While The Chehalis Foundation normally takes a long-term view of investments needed to serve our community, this situation called for an immediate response to support critical service providers. We are pleased, through the generosity of Chehalis Foundation donors, to be in a position to help support people on the front lines of this epidemic and maintain the health and wellbeing of families to get through this challenging experience.”
The Visiting Nurses Foundation has stepped up its delivery of meals and critical supplies to people who are medically fragile, in hospice care, are wheelchair-bound or immune-compromised. The Visiting Nurses Executive Director Jenny Collins says the Chehalis Foundation grant will allow the organization to meet the increasing need for services.
“We are so grateful to The Chehalis Foundation and its board members,” Collins said. “Their generous donation will allow us to provide more than 1,250 additional meals to the medically fragile and immune-compromised during this unprecedented time of need in our community.”
The Boys and Girls Club of Chehalis is currently providing full-day, camp-style youth support for kids with parents or guardians who work in healthcare, serve as first responders, or fill other essential roles in our community. Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Lauren Day says, thanks to the support of The Chehalis Foundation and others, the program can be offered free of charge.
“We are truly honored to have received this incredible gift from the Foundation,” Day said. “Their support helps to ensure that some of our most important community employees can continue to show up to work and know that their child is in a safe and supportive environment. Not only does this gift support those incredible individuals who put their own health at risk to keep the rest of us safe, but it also helps ensure that our Club team can continue to help families now and in the future when school starts again.”
The Boy & Girls Club has partnered with the Chehalis School District to ensure that each child receives breakfast, lunch and snacks. They are also given access to grade-appropriate learning packets and online learning resources. Day said Club staff have been trained in methods to ensure that proper social distancing, daily health screenings and other critical safety measures are being implemented in order to ensure that it is operating in the safest way possible.
Sayler noted that The Chehalis Foundation is not soliciting donations for the COVID-19 response but encourages people to contribute directly to the Boys & Girls Club, Visiting Nurses or the United Way of Lewis County.
