Drew Dixon
A Northeast Florida charitable organization got a huge boost to help the needy in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Humana Foundation contributed $500,000 to The Community Foundation of Northeast Florida Tuesday. The donation will be directed to Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund to provide coronavirus aid in the region.
The latest contribution is on top of a $100,000 donation Humana Foundation gave to United Way of Northeast Florida in the early going of the pandemic’s impact. That funding was also earmarked for the First Coast Relief Fund.
“The impact of a grant of this size cannot be underestimated,” said Nina Waters, president of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. “Every week, we and our partners in Florida’s First Coast Relief Fund struggle with the extraordinary needs presented by our nonprofit community as they try to respond to their clients who are hurting. The Humana Foundation’s generosity will help alleviate the strain on our neighbors and fellow citizens.”
The First Coast Relief Fund is a collaboration of about a half dozen nonprofit groups that was started in the wake of hurricanes Matthew and Irma that brushed the Northeast Florida area. While it was founded for providing help in the wake of storms, the organization has shifted focus to helping those who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The First Coast Relief Fund has raised about $2.4 million since mid-March to distribute to about 75 charitable organizations in six Northeast Florida counties.
The donations are being used for charitable support for those in need during the pandemic who could use additional food, health provisions and mental health support.
“Our intention with this commitment is to not only help provide immediate crisis relief, but also serve as a catalyst in building sustainable achievement and long-term community resilience,” said Walter Woods, CEO of the Humana Foundation.
