| The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation is mobilizing to support nonprofits and communities in the region during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our key role right now is to identify local needs and gaps in funding, and to assemble and apply funds where they are most critically needed to relieve distress in our area,” said Executive Director Judy Sjostedt.
“In addition to working in concert with other funders and nonprofits, we’ve reached out directly to our local donor partners to ask for their help. We’ve received great support already but will be continuously working to assure that sufficient funds are ready to help throughout the duration of this crisis given its significant impact in our region.”
Working with area funders and donors, the foundation is contacting regional nonprofits to assess COVID-19 impact on clients and communities and identifying ways to respond to the needs.
One such need quickly arose with seniors being advised to stay home. The foundation and the Sisters Health Foundation swiftly awarded a $5,600 grant to the Wood County Senior Citizens Association to assist it with supplies needed to provide nutritious meals to seniors who are isolated in their homes.
“We are fortunate in our community to have strong partnerships between local foundations and our donors,” said Marian Clowes, the foundation’s associate director for community leadership. “We share community needs as we hear of them with other partners and are often able to jointly respond. The grant to the Wood County Senior Citizens Association is one of what we anticipate will be many shared efforts to respond to community needs related to COVID-19.”
Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to share their needs related to how the COVID-19 virus is impacting the lives of their clients or the sustainability of their services for their clients by emailing the PACF at marian.clowes@pacfwv.com.
Individuals wanting to help the Foundation respond to both the short-term and long-term needs of the community are encouraged to make a donation to support the Foundation’s Safety Net Fund that supports basic and emergency needs or the Hunger Fund that addresses food insecurity for local people.
Donations may be made online at www.pacfwv.com/Donate or by mailing a check payable to “PACF” to PO Box 1762, Parkersburg WV 26102-1762. The PACF will be proactively distributing these funds in our community to meet priority needs as they arise. | 
