About the Port Washington COVID-19 Community Response Fund

The Island Now

The Port Washington COVID-19 Community Response Fund is hosted and administered by the Community Chest of Port Washington and is seeded with $100,000 from the Community Chest.  As of May 4, the Fund is at $265,000

In partnership with the Community Chest’s PW COVID-19 Community Response Fund Oversight Committee, a group of community leaders is meeting regularly to address and respond to the emergency needs of Port Washington residents as a result of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic.

The working group includes representatives from the Town of North Hempstead, Port Washington School District, PW Public Library, PW Police, the PW Crisis Relief Team, PW Clergy Association, PW Parent’s Council and community and faith-based organizations.

The Port Washington COVID-19 Community Response Fund is being used to make COVID-19 emergency grants for food needs, housing costs and other expenses to existing community and faith-based organizations that have strong experience supporting local families.

Donations for the PW COVID-19 Community Response Fund are being collected through the Community Chest website and a Certified Charity GoFundMe campaign https://bit.ly/2WUAKQG. The Fund expands the local capacity of outreach organizations to address the many needs created by the coronavirus crisis.  100% of donations is going to organizations helping Port Washington residents impacted by this public health crisis.

As of now, three organizations have been identified (Our Lady of Fatima, Parish Outreach; St. Peter of Alcantara, Parish Social Ministry and Littig House Community Center) as providing critical needs for approximately 350 at-risk Port Washington families. That number grows each day.

PW COVID-19 Community Response Grants to community and faith-based nonprofits are made on a rolling basis.  As fundraising continues through the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis, the Fund will adapt to emerging needs as the situation evolves. To date $50,000 has been awarded.  We anticipate the second round of grants to be distributed by the end of May.

In addition to the Port Washington COVID-19 Community Response Fund, the Community Chest has the following initiatives up and running:

  • “Helping Hands for Seniors” – free shopping and no-contact delivery service
  • “PW Mask Brigade” – the production of 1,250 washable masks for at-risk families
  • On-line listing of local resources and volunteer efforts at portchest.org
  • Legal Assistance

Helping Hands for Seniors

The Community Chest’s free shopping and no-contact delivery service called “Helping Hands for Seniors,” is currently helping 42 seniors who are home-bound. The program, which has a much larger capacity, was created for members of our community, specifically older adults and others who have serious underlying medical conditions who have been advised to stay at home. Those unable to procure food, medication or other essentials should contact the  Helping Hands program at 516-767-2121 or email info@portchest.org.This program would not be possible without the assistance of the PW Crisis Relief Team and other community volunteers. Residents who need kosher food should contact info@chabadpw.org or call 516-322-4322.

PW Mask Brigade

Under the coordination of volunteer Betsy Liegey, and with the help of 35 cutters and sewers, the PW Mask Brigade, a project of the Community Chest is poised to complete the creation of 1,250 fabric, washable 3-layer face masks.  Donations of fabric, elastic and more enabled the crew to stay hard at work.  Spectrum Suds, a program of Spectrum Designs Foundation, is washing and packing for transport to our grateful outreach families.

Online resources and volunteer efforts

The Community Chest has an online listing at www.portchest.org of local resources for residents and community-based projects, including ways for volunteers to become involved and contact info for next steps.  Residents are encouraged to share other projects at info@portchest.org for inclusion on the resource list.

Legal Assistance

PW COVID-19 Community Response working group is recruiting and coordinating a team of attorneys to assist in landlord-tenant rent payment negotiations.  Lawyers interesting in helping should contact the Community Chest at info@portchest.org

Collaborations with partners include:

  • Port Washington School District – Meals for students
  • Town of North Hempstead’s – Project Independence
  • Parents Council – Collection Bins & fundraising

School Breakfast and Lunch program

To ensure that the food needs of all Port’s students are being met, the Port Washington School District is providing breakfast and lunch to all students (and their pre-school siblings) regardless of income level, at five locations in Port Washington: Schreiber H.S., Daly School, Our Lady of Fatima Church, Harbor Homes and at the Port Washington CAC, 382 Main Street. Buses stay at the pickup locations from 7:00 a.m. to noon on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

1,000 packages are being delivered each day.  Friday’s pickup includes meals for the weekend. If parents are not able to pick up meals, they should call 767-2121 and the Community Chest will arrange for a volunteer to pick up and deliver the meals to your home.

Coordination with Project Independence

We are encouraging all residents ages 60 or older to call 311 or 869-6311 to register for “Project Independence,” a program of the Town of North Hempstead. Once registered, Project Independence assigns someone who can help with transportation, food, entitlement benefits and other needs. Go to https://northhempsteadny.gov/PI-About to find out more about Project Independence.

Parents’ Council

Port Washington Parents’ Council is coordinating efforts with the Port Washington COVID-19 Community Response working group.  It has been in coordination with the local pantries since the beginning of NY PAUSE.

Initially, Parents’ Council utilized its outreach efforts to advertise the needs of the local pantries to the parents within the districts, updating the list weekly to make sure that the community was informed of the most needed items and informing the public of monetary donation efforts as well.  Parents’ Council is bridging any communication gaps between the school guidance counselors and pantries to make sure that those that needing assistance are directed to the appropriate location.   In the past two weeks, Parents’ Council has established “Stop, Drop and Roll” a neighborhood food collection campaign that allows people to make non-perishable donations within their neighborhoods

Additionally, Parents Council is supporting outreach efforts within the community with a Sunday night virtual bingo game that has been started and managed by three local families.  Close to $10,000 has been donated in the first two weeks.

 

People of Port Helping the People of Port.

The Community Chest reminds everyone to be aware of any neighbors who are fragile seniors and others who may need help.  Either call or knock on their door and ask if they need anything.  If you cannot help them with what they need, refer them to one of Port Washington’s Outreach organizations: Our Lady of Fatima, 516-883-3903 or St. Peter of Alcantara, 516-883-0365.

 

 

 

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