As the COVID-19 virus spreads across Colorado, individual donors are stepping up in support of populations and communities who have been most immediately impacted by the pandemic. For one Rose Community Foundation fundholder, who requested to remain anonymous for this story, the Foundation’s COVID-19 resources page served as a starting point for his philanthropic response.

“The list of organizations I chose to support started with the Rose Community Foundation website,” he says. “I investigated each of the recommended organizations on the site to decide if their mission fit with my vision of giving.”

From there, he consulted with family and friends to develop a giving strategy that would maximize impact for those most impacted by the public health crisis.

“The pandemic has shifted my family’s giving focus towards supporting organizations trying to tackle the emergent needs of those who are losing their jobs, getting sick and losing family members,” he explains.

“We targeted organizations like Food Bank of the Rockies, Nourish Meals on Wheels and the Denver Food Rescue with the sole focus on getting meals to people most in need. We also made a grant to the University of Colorado Foundation’s Health Care Worker Emergency Relief Fund to help health care providers and staff on the front lines of clinical care who are in need. My partner and I work in health care and feel the need to support our colleagues who are at high risk to get the virus.”

They also made grants to Jewish Family Services and Ekar Farms, a pair of nonprofits whose “Jewish principles” of justice, equity and connection to community resonated with the family during this time of crisis.

“Our family has two priorities: supporting the community around us (especially the Jewish community) and developing a strong tradition of giving which will pass to the younger generations,” he says. “Philanthropy will be vital part of building and sustaining the infrastructure needed to weather the acute and long term needs of our community, and we are privileged to support that effort as best we can.”

In this time when we cannot physically reach out to others in our community, we CAN come together through our giving. Interested in supporting Rose Community Foundation’s ongoing, equity-focused response to the medical, economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in seven-county Metro Denver? Consider giving to our R.E.S.P.O.N.D. Fund today!